GERMINATION. 



137 



is a general law of such plants for the main radicle to 

 dry and fall off, and hence none of the palms have 

 a tap root. When the top of the stem in wheat is 

 destroyed, as it is by a small green-eyed fly l , it 

 threatens destruction to the crop, but side stems soon 

 shoot, and no loss is sustained. In England it is the 

 practice to eat down the young wheat with horses, 

 to make it multiply the stems. Transplanting pro- 

 duces a similar effect. 



Dr. Von Martius has given a minute account, with 

 interesting figures, of the germination of the cabbage 

 palm, some of which I shall here give. 



The Cabbage Palm (Euterpe oleracea} in three several stages of 

 germination. At a, the gemlet just escaped from the seed is 

 slightly arched. 



(1) In Latin, Chlorops jjumilionis, respecting which details will 

 be given in the ALPHABET OF BLIGHTS. 



