THE PLANT 45 



EXPERIMENTS 



1. Get large, simple flowers, such as apple blossoms and morning 

 glories. Take them apart so as to see the different parts. 



2. Examine germs and germ food in seeds. To do this, put large 

 seeds, such as beans or corn, in warm water and let them soak twenty- 

 four hours ; then slip off the outer skin. 



3. Plant some grains of corn in moist soil and some in dry soil, and 

 keep both in a warm place. What is the result ? What does this prove 

 as to the requirements for seed germination ? 



4. Plant corn in two boxes of moist soil and keep one in a cold 

 place and the other in a warm place. What is the result ? What does 

 this prove that seeds require? 



5. Plant sonie grains of corn in moist, firm soil and some in wet clay, 

 of which the surface is kept packed and wet so as to exclude air. What 

 is the result ? What does this prove that seeds require ? Experiments 

 3, 4, and 5 can be made with seeds put between layers of blotting 

 paper, which is kept dry, moist, or saturated with water. 



6. Try experiments 3, 4, and 5 with growing plants, and observe 

 the results in each case. 



7. Perform the experiment described on page 38 to show the working 

 of osmosis. 



8. Put the same amount of water in each of two glasses. In one glass 

 put a branch of clover or some other plant. Examine the two glasses 

 every day for a week. What difference is there in the amount of water 

 in each? What has the plant done with the water? Perform ex- 

 periment 4, page 26. 



9. Cover green grass with a small board. What effect has this 

 covering on the color and growth of the grass ? Cover a branch of a 

 plant with dark paper so as to exclude light. Examine in three days. 

 What do these experiments prove about chlorophyl ? 



10. Pour iodine diluted with water on a piece of cornstarch. You will 

 see that iodine turns starch blue. Take a leaf which has been uncovered, 

 and one which has been covered, as in experiment 9; soak both in 

 alcohol, and then pour diluted iodine on them. What difference is there ? 

 What does this prove that the leaf requires in order to form starch ? 



11. Make a list of common farm annuals; biennials; perennials. 



