AGRICULTURE. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE YOUNG PLANT. 



We have learned that seeds 

 will sprout when they have water, 

 heat, and air. But there must 

 not be too much water, for then 

 they will simply become soft and 

 decay; nor must there be too 

 much heat, for then they will be 



Fig. 6 A Bean showing tip of rootlet Hri^rl nr> unrl Vill^rl WP hnvp 

 or radicle at r; also with parts separ- 1 U P a " 



ated showing tip just starting to grow. snO wn how they can be sprouted 

 between layers of moist flannel or blotting paper. When sprouted 

 in that way their growth can be watched day by day ; but this 

 plan of sprouting seeds will not allow us to watch their growth 

 to a very large size. If we wish to see them grow up into full- 

 sized plants we must plant the seeds in soil. We can do so in 

 a box of clean garden soil placed in a sunny window, or out of 

 doors in warm weather. We may plant some peas, beans, or 

 pumpkin seeds. Let us take a handful of bean seeds. As 

 they are rather large in size we must cover them thoroughly 

 with soil about an inch deep. At the same time we might put 

 in a few seeds four, five or six inches deep, and also place 

 three or four right on the surface, to observe the effect on them 

 in contrast with those planted at the proper depth. We then 

 water the soil slightly every day. 



After two days we carefully take up a couple of seeds to see 

 what has taken place. Then we put them back carefully. In 

 this way, day by day, we examine carefully a couple of the 

 seeds until we find them starting to sprout. 



