22 NATURE TEACHING. 



young plant, the curves assumed by the young 

 root and stem, the manner in which the coty- 

 ledons are disposed, whether the seed is 

 albuminous or exalbuminous, and, if the 

 latter, how the reserve of food material is 

 absorbed by the growing plant. Careful at- 

 tention should be given to any special con- 

 trivances to enable the young plant to escape 

 from the seed-coat and the existence of any 

 special means whereby the seed- coat is held 

 down by the soil while the young plant is 

 being withdrawn. 



2. Upon examining seed beds containing 

 germinating seeds it will often be noticed that 

 a few of the young plants do not germinate 

 properly. They may fail to rid themselves of 

 their seed- coats or meet with other untoward 

 experiences. These cases, in particular, should 

 be observed as they often throw considerable 

 light on the methods of germination arid im- 

 press the mind with the importance of what 

 may, at first sight, seem trivial and unim- 

 portant details. 



3. After some of the better known kinds 

 of seeds have been studied much instructive 

 information may be gained by collecting seeds 

 of wild native plants and studying their 



methods of germination. In addition, } obser- 



