FLOWER-LAND. 



until they are like little threads. Let us dig up a 

 daisy. It is the same kind of root you see, although 

 its rootlets are a little thicker and not so much 

 divided, (cf. Figs. 10, 27.) 



In some plants the roots have knobs or swellings 

 in them, sometimes so close together all the way 

 down that they look like strings of beads (Fig. 9). 

 In others the branches of the root are swollen so 

 that they look like a bundle of longish bags, as in 

 the garden dahlia. But let us see what kind of a root 

 this dandelion has. Shall I dig it up for you ? It is 

 not easy to get up, its root goes so far into the 

 ground. You see I have broken it ; but here is a 

 good piece of the root, and we can see very well what 

 it is like. In some cases it may be forked, and it has 

 little threads growing from it here and there ; but it 

 has not separate rootlets from about one 

 centre, or many branchings, like those 

 we have been speaking of. You will 

 know this kind of root very well, for you 

 have often seen it in different shapes in 

 the carrot, the turnip, and the radish 

 (Fig. n). 



We will look at a few more roots as 

 we go along, though I fear we shall not 

 find a specimen of each of those kinds I 

 have been telling you of. There is, 

 however, one kind that we will particu- 

 larly look for. 



Can you find a wild hyacinth? If not, 





Fig. n. Root 

 of Beet. 



