GERMINATION. 311 



The first process of .development, wherein the young 

 plant commences to manifest its separate life, and in which 

 it is shaped into its proper and peculiar form, is called 

 germination. 



The GENERAL PROCESS and CONDITIONS of GERMINATION 

 are familiar to all. In agriculture and ordinary garden- 

 ing we bury the ripe and sound seed a little way in the 

 soil, and in a few days, it usually sprouts, provided it finds 

 a certain degree of warmth and moisture. 



Let us attend somewhat in detail first to the phenomena 

 of germination and afterward to the requirements of the 

 awakening seed. 



2. 

 THE PHENOMENA OF GERMINATION. 



* The student will do well to watch with care the various 

 stages of the act of germination, as exhibited in several 

 species of plants. For this purpose a dozen or more seeds 

 of each plant are sown, the smaller, one-half, the larger, one 

 inch deep, in a box of earth or saw-dust, kept duly warm 

 and moist, and one or two of each kind are uncovered and 

 dissected at successive intervals of 12 hours until the 

 process is complete. In this way it is easy to trace all the 

 visible changes which occur as the embryo is quickened. 

 The seeds of the kidney-bean, pea, of maize, buckwheat, 

 and barley, may be employed. 



"We thus observe that the seed first absorbs a large 

 amount of moisture, in consequence of which it swells and 

 becomes more soft. We see the germ enlarging beneath 

 the seed coats, shortly the integuments burst and the radi- 

 cle appears, afterward the plumule becomes manifest. 



In all agricultural plants the radicle buries itself in the 

 soil. The plumule ascends into the atmosphere and seeks 

 exposure to the direct light of the sun. 



