CHAPTER VIII 

 PLANT PROPAGATION 



I. SEEDS AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT INTO PLANTS 



107. Study of the bean seed and the development of the 

 bean seedling. Laboratory Study No. 51. 



Materials: Dry bean seeds and seeds that have been soaked for 

 24 hours. Sprouted bean seeds and seedlings grown as follows: 

 To secure early stages, put seeds that have been soaking for 24 hours 

 between layers of wet blotting paper, or bury them in moist sawdust, 

 and allow them, to stand in a warm place for two or three days. 

 For older stages of bean seedlings plant soaked seeds in boxes con- 

 taining moist sawdust, sand, or earth. If some of these boxes are 

 put in a warm place and others in a cool place all stages may be 

 obtained in two to four weeks. 



1. What difference do you notice in the size of the dry and 



soaked seed? How do you account for this dif- 

 ference ? 



(Optional.) Half fill a bottle with dry bean seeds, and add 

 water enough to fill the bottle. Allow the seeds to 

 soak for 24 hours. How much do beans increase in size* 

 when soaked ? 



2. On one edge of a soaked seed find a scar called the hilum, 



which marks the place where the bean was attached 

 to a small stem which connected it to the pod. 

 Locate the hilum, and state what caused this scar. 



3. Make a sketch. about two inches long of the seed, show- 



ing the edge on which the scar is found. Label 

 scar or hilum. 

 H 97 



