A MANUAL OF BOTANY 9 



lowing test for sugar : Dissolve a little grape sugar in water, 

 and add Fehling's solution (which can be obtained at any 

 drug store). What is the color reaction ? Now place the 

 sugar solution in a test tube and hoil. The change of color 

 to orange is a test for grape sugar. 



Grind some dry oats in a mortar, add water and Fehling's 

 solution, and boil. Kepeat, but use, instead of dry oats, 

 some oats that are well sprouted. How do the two experi- 

 ments differ, and what is your explanation ? 



Food of seedlings. What are the sources of all the differ- 

 ent foods a seedling uses from the time when the first sprout 

 shows until it may be said to have become a young plant .? 

 What really determines whether a plant is in the seedling 

 stage or not? 



Seedlings in trade. Why are some varieties of plants (as 

 vegetables) " raised " from seed, while others (like potatoes, 

 and many fruit shrubs and trees) are raised from cuttings, 

 grafts, buds, etc. ? What are " seedlings " commercially 

 and experimentally ? 



Other experiments. Try as many experiments with seeds 

 and seedlings as time and the materials at hand will permit. 

 Some or all of the following are very instructive, and re- 

 quire but little in the way of apparatus : (The instructor 

 Avill give explicit directions.) (a) Various methods of 

 sprouting seeds, (b) The effect of light and darkness on 

 seed sprouting, (c) The effect of cold and heat on seed 

 sprouting, (d) The effect of lack of moisture or too much 

 moisture. (e) The direction naturally assumed by the 

 plumule in seeds sprouted in a pan. (/) Oats sprouted in 

 a deep glass jar, and tested in early morning or later day- 

 time with lighted taper for gas production, (g) Various 

 forms of cotyledons and amount of development of the same. 

 (h) Seedling direction and light, (i) Rapidity of sprout- 

 ing of various seeds, with possible relation to size of seeds 

 and length of time, (j) The reason for the change in 



