APPENDIX. 



557 



3. Germination just 

 beginning. 



2. Squash plant 

 TV k i ch has 

 brought the 

 seed-coats out 

 of the ground. 



curiou-^ fact —this wonderful difference between the first and the later stage 

 of all plants, and it is only because we know it so well that we do not wonder 



'' ' ■ It may happen, however — as it did in a pan of seed which 



I sowed a few days ago— that one or two of the plants may 

 look like that shown in Fig. 2. Here the seed seems to have 

 coine up on the top of the plant, and one is reminded of 

 the curious way in which beans come up on the stalk of the 

 young plant. If we were to study the matter, however— as 

 we may do at a future time— we should find a great differ- 

 ence in the ways in which the squashes and the beans raise 

 their seeds out of the ground. It is not our purpose to com- 

 pare the squash and the bean at this time, but wo are curious 

 to know why one of these squash plants brings its seed up 

 out of the ground whilst all the others do not. In order 

 to find out why it is, we must ask the plant, and this asking 

 is what we call an experiment. 



We may first pull up the two plants. The first one 

 (Fig. 1) will be seen to have the seed coats still attached to 

 the very lowest part of the stalk below 

 the soil, but the other plant has no seed 

 at that point. We will now plant more 

 seeds, a dozen or more of them, so that 

 we shall have enough to examine two or 

 three times a day for several days. A day 



or two after the seeds are planted, we shall find a little point 

 or root-like portion breaking out of the sharp end of the seed, 

 as shown in Fig. 3. A day later this root portion has grown 

 to' be as long as the seed itself (Fig. 4), and 

 it has turned directly downwards into the soil. 

 But there is another most curious thing about 

 this germinating seed. Just where the root is 

 breaking out of the seed (shown at a in Fig. 4), 

 there is a little peg or projection. In Fig. 5, 

 about a day later, the root has grown still longer, 

 and this peg seems to be forcing the 

 seed apart, "in Fig. 6, however, it will 

 be seen that the seed is really being 

 forced apart by the stem or stalk above 

 the peg, for this stem is now grow- 

 ing longer. The lower lobe of the seed 

 ha's attached to the peg (seen at a, 

 Fitr. 6), and the seed leaves are trying 



to back out of the seed. Fig. 7 shows the seed 

 still a dav later. The root has now produced 

 many branches and has thoroughly established 

 itself in the soil. The top is also growing rapidly 

 and is still backing out of the seed, and the 

 seed coats are still firmly held by the obstinate 



"whilst we have been seeing all these curi- 

 ous things in the seeds which we have dug up, 

 the plantlcts which we have not disturbed have been coming 

 through the soil. If we were to see the plant in Fig. 7, as 

 it was "coming up," it would look like Fig. 8. It is 

 tuo-ging awav trying to get its head out of the bonnet which 

 ^ down underneath the soil, and it has "got its back 

 up'" m the operation. In Fig. 9 it has escaped from its trap 

 and it is laughing and growing in delij 



4. The root 



and peg. 



rht. 



It must now 



