110 BOTANY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 



in a case, with enough of food proper for it while 

 germinating. 



L. But if I plant the seed of an apple it will 

 by-and-by become a tree, without the juicy mat- 

 ter that is around the seeds, as they can do 

 without it. What use is that portion ? 



E. To supply the wants of man. Nature's 

 first object is to secure the continuation of the 

 species by careful attention to the preparation of 

 the seed apparatus. When that is done she 

 does something for man, but never before. 



L. Are there other instances, except in the 

 common fruits, where she bestows such atten- 

 tion? 



E. Many ; but among the most remarkable 

 are the Silk Weed and Cotton ; the long down 

 which surrounds the seeds enclosed in the 

 capsule with them, answering no purposes what- 

 ever, except for the uses to which man applies 

 the matter their separation. 



L. You were going to explain the germina- 

 tion of the embryos by irritation ? 



E. The seed, then, is merely an embryo en- 

 closed in a little storehouse of food ; putting it 

 into the ground and exciting it to action which 

 action it is enabled to sustain on account of the 



