SEEDS 



77 



till it rises half way up the side of the plaster cast 

 or porous saucer. The whole thing is then covered 

 to keep in the moisture (Fig. 40). 



Another method is to get boxes of finely pulver- 

 ized sand or soil and carefully plant in it fifty or 

 one hundred seeds of each kind to be tested. Then 

 by counting those that come up, the proportion of 

 good seeds can easily be found. 



In every case the testers should be kept at a tem- 

 perature of about seventy degrees or about that of 

 the living room. 



HOW THE SEEDS COME UP 



Plant a few seeds of corn, beans and garden peas 

 in boxes or tumblers each day for several days in 

 succession. Then put seeds of corn, beans and gar- 

 den peas to soak. After these have soaked a few 

 hours, examine them to find out how the seed is 

 constructed. Note first the general shape of the 

 seeds and the scar (Fig. 41*) on one side as in 

 the bean or pea and at one end or on one edge in 

 the corn. This scar, also called hilum, is where the 

 seed was attached to the seed vessel. 



Cut into the bean and pea, they will be found to 

 be protected by a tough skin or coat. Within this 

 the contents of the seed are divided into two bodies 

 of equal size lying close to each other and called 

 seed leaves or cotyledons (Fig. 4i 5 ). Between 

 them near one end or one side will be found a pair 

 of very small white leaves and a little round pointed 



