24: THE PLANT. 



among both kinds, some when broken up will present a 

 mealy, others a horny appearance, the one being more, 

 the others less completely developed. The cause is 

 this that the stalks in the same field do not all shoot 

 into ear and flower at the same time, and that some of 

 them produce seeds much more maturely than others : 

 hence the seeds of the one are far more developed, even 

 in unfavourable weather, than the seeds of the others. 

 A mixture of seeds unequal in their developement, or 

 differing in the quantities of amylum, gluten, and inor- 

 ganic matters which they severally contain, will pro- 

 duce a crop of plants as unequal in their developement 

 as the original seeds from which they sprung. 



The strength and number of tne roots and leaves 

 formed in the process of germination are (as regards the 

 non-nitrogenous constituents) in direct proportion to the 

 amount of amylum in the original seed. A seed poor 

 in amylum will, indeed, germinate in the same fashion 

 as another seed abounding in it ; but by the time the 

 former has succeeded, by the absorption of food from 

 without, in producing roots and leaves as strong and 

 numerous, the plant grown from the more amylaceous 

 seed is again just as much more advanced in growth : 

 its food-absorbing surface was larger from the begin- 

 ning, and the growth of the young plant is in like pro- 

 portion. 



Poor and sickly seeds will produce stunted plants, 

 which again will yield seeds bearing in a great measure 

 the same character. 



The horticulturist knows the natural relation which 

 the condition of the seed bears to the production of a 

 plant, which is to possess all or only some properties of 

 the species : just as the cattle-breeder, who, with a view 

 to propagation and increase of stock, selects only the 

 healthiest and best-formed animals for his purpose ; the 

 gardener is aware that the flat and shining seeds in the 

 pod of a stock gilly-flower will give tall plants with 

 single flowers, while the shrivelled seeds will furnish 

 low plants with double flowers throughout. 



The influence of soil and climate gives rise to differ- 



