10 NATURE TEACHING 



the husk, and open out as a pair of green leaves. The 

 husk will then be found to be quite empty, all the food 

 it contained having been absorbed by the cotyledons and 

 passed on to the young plant. Whilst this is going on 

 the stem has also straightened out. 



The onion has an albuminous seed. In germination 

 the young root first makes its appearance, and, immedi- 

 ately afterwards, there appears the lower portion of the 

 cotyledon. This assumes the arched form as described 

 in the case of other seeds; the tip of the cotyledon 

 however is not withdrawn, but remains for some time 

 within the seed-coat in contact with the supply of food 

 stored up there. Upon the portion of the cotyledon in 

 contact with this food there is formed what may be 

 described as a sucker, an absorbing organ, which takes 

 up the stored food arid passes it on to the growing 

 plant. When all the food store has been absorbed, the 

 cotyledon is withdrawn from the seed-coat and the 

 young seedling becomes erect, the cotyledon being now 

 green, and acting as an ordinary leaf. 



A somewhat similar condition of things occurs in 

 the germination of the seeds of many palms, and may 

 be studied in 'the date. The germination of the seeds 

 of the date palm is of great interest, inasmuch as it 

 supplies an excellent illustration of the way in which 

 many plants overcome the difficulties of their surround- 

 ings. The date palm is well known as a plant which 

 can thrive in sandy, desert regions, where the water 

 supply is scanty. Most ordinary seedlings are delicate, 

 and easily killed if kept without water. How then 

 does the young date palm manage to survive? As the 



