10 REPRESENTATIVE PLANTS 



composition of starchy seeds when tliey sprout (industries 

 founded on this fact), (k) The amount of water absorbed 

 by dry seeds in the soaking process, (l) The vitality or 

 "keeping" quality of various seeds may be studied in gar- 

 den catalogues, farm books, cyclopedias, etc. Remember 

 about seeds of weeds at this point, (711) Weight of seeds 

 compared with that of water. Cleaning seeds by flotation 

 of bad seed, impurities, chaff, etc. (n) The temperature of 

 sprouting seeds. (0) The effect in seedling growth of the 

 removal of the cotyledons. (2^) Seedlings grown in water, 

 sand, loam, and other conditions. (q) Survival test in 

 crowded seedlings (of birdseed, for example). (?-) Per cent 

 of vitality test (i.e., number of seeds in each 100) to show 

 how many seeds will sprout. Use flannel, felt paper, or 

 blotting paper, kept moist on plates covered with panes 

 of glass. Obtain seeds from as many sources as possible 

 in order to answer the query, " Do cheap seeds pay ? " 

 (s) Many other experiments may be tried, the above sug- 

 gesting others along the same lines. 



SECTION III. THE ROOT 

 1. Its Origin, Structure, and Growth 



Source of material. The various seedlings of the preced- 

 ing exercises will furnish much root material. Corn grown 

 in thistle tubes, peas and corn on carles in water bottles, seed- 

 lings between plates of glass, can all be used to good 

 advantage. The grocer's vegetable window furnishes 

 many. 



Origin. On examining seedlings well advanced, what 

 part of the growing seed has developed into the root ? 

 Observe whether there is but one main root {primary) or 

 several {multiple primary) proceeding from the lower {radi- 

 cle) end of the hypocotyl. 



