18 



INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY 



upward from it; in others the seed coat is carried upon the 

 seed leaves until they appear above the surface of the ground, 

 when by the spreading of the seed leaves the coat is dropped 

 (fig. 13). Some kinds of plants have one seed leaf, as in 

 corn; while others, as the sunflower, have two seed leaves, 

 between which the first 

 true leaves appear. 



15. Further study of 

 the parts of a plant. It 

 must be evident from 

 the discussion in this 

 chapter that a plant is 



FIG. 13. Seedlings of the 

 sunflower plant 



A, old seed coat still partly 

 inclosing the seed leaves; 



B, seed leaves open and first 

 true leaves appearing 



FIG. 14. Young corn plants 



A, leaves unfolding ; B, leaves and other parts 

 well developed 



a sort of machine consisting of roots, stem, leaves, flowers, 

 and seeds. By means of this plant machine raw materials 

 are secured and manufactured into plant food. This manu- 

 factured food is distributed through the plant; some of it is 

 used immediately and some of it is stored. Seeds are manu- 

 factured, and by means of them new plants are started on 

 their round of activities. Having in this chapter merely out- 

 lined the nature of the plant machine and the work done by 



