BOTANY 



FART I— THE PLANT ITSELF 



CHAPTER I 



THE PLANT AS A WHOLE 



1. A plant is a living, growing thing. It partakes of 

 the soil and air and sunshine. It propagates its kind and 

 covers the face of the earth. It has 



much with which to contend. It makes 

 the most of every opportunity. We 

 shall learn its parts, how it lives, and 

 how it behaves. 



2. THE PARTS OF A PLANT. — Our 

 familiar plants are made up of several 

 distinct parts. The most prominent of 

 these parts are root, stem, leaf, flower, ^ ^. 

 fruit and seed. Fig. 2. Familiar plants " ^^s^ 

 differ wonderfidhj in size and shape,^ 

 from fragile mushrooms, delicate water- 

 weeds and pond-scums, to floating leaves, 

 soft grasses, coarse weeds, tall bushes, 

 slender climbers, gigantic trees, and 

 hanging moss. See frontispiece. 



3. THE STEM PART.— In most plants 

 there is a main central part or shaft on 

 which the other or secondary parts are 



A (1) 



2. A buttercup plant, 

 showing the various parts 



N. C. State Coiiegl 



