BOTANY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 119 



spring ; they have fibrous roots that absorb the 

 nourishment from the ground, and lay up a lit- 

 tle capital or accumulation of sap. They spend 

 this directly in flowering, dying in autumn, after 

 the seed is perfected. When required for medi- 

 cinal purposes, they are gathered just before 

 flowering. Some farmers do this with their 

 grasses, and so much nutriment do they yield 

 in consequence, that they surprise their neighbors 

 by fattening their cattle with them. Peas, 

 Beans, and Cucumbers, are annual plants. 



The Biennials, as their name denotes, live 

 two years. As in the case of annuals, they 

 come up from seed, but spend the first summer 

 in laying up capital. Early the ensuing spring 

 they sprout, sending up a stalk with considera- 

 bly rapidity, and producing flowers and fruit, 

 dying directly afterwards, as in the former case, 

 both differing from the Century Plant, mostly in 

 length of time. Such are Onions, Beets, and 

 Carrots 



Li. Onions, Beets, and Carrots ! why we take 

 them out of the ground every year. They sure- 

 ly are annual plants. 



E. You follow the example of the Mexicans, 

 in waiting till the store is accumulated and then 



