SECT. I. CONDITIONS. 



operations of nature. But seeds will not germinate 

 at random, and in all circumstances whatever. 

 They will germinate only under certain conditions, 

 and till such conditions take place the vital prin- 

 ciple lies dormant in the substance of the seed. 

 But when a seed is placed in the soil., or in cir- 

 cumstances otherwise favourable to vegetation, the 

 vital principle is immediately stimulated into action, 

 producing a variety of combinations, and effecting 

 a gradual change in the parts of the seed. The 

 radicle is converted into a root ; the plumelet int6 

 a trunk or stem with its leaves and branches ; and 

 a new plant is formed capable of extracting from 

 the soil or atmosphere the food necessary to its 

 growth and developement. 



What then are the conditions necessary to ger- 

 mination ? What are the changes produced during 

 the process ? And by what means are the changes 

 effected ? These inquiries shall form, respectively the 

 subject of the three following sections. 



SECTION I. 

 Conditions necessary to Germination. 



THE conditions necessary to germination relate 

 either to the internal state of the seed itself, or to 

 the circumstances in which it is placed, with re- 

 gard to surrounding substances. 



B 2 



