6 now PLANTS (iHoW, 



(>. L6&V6S (Fi^'. 4, I, f) Hi<' p'luTiiIly lint im«l thii), ^'icfn Ixxlit's, turning' ono 

 fnco upwHitlH to thf sky, iiikI tlio otluT tlowiiwnrWs towiirds tho ground. Tliry 

 iiiiik«> th«> Fiili(Hje. 



7. The Plant In YCj^etation. W.> soo that a plant has n hody or tnnik (In scioii- 

 tllic hiiignagc, ail Hxii*), nmsisting of two |»aits — an npiM-r and a h)W«'r. The 

 lower is tho ItiMit : this IIxch thi* )dant to the soil. Thr n|)|M>r is th<> Stem : this 

 rises out of the ground, niid hears h>aves, whieh are hung out on the stem in tlio 

 light and air. Th*' root takes in a part of thr phint's fcMMJ from the soil ; this tho 

 hteiii carries to tin* leaves. The lea\es takn in another part of the plants food 

 from the air. And in them ^^hat the roots nhsorli from the ground, and what they 

 themselves jihsorh from tho air, are f'.\p«»scd to tin- sunshine and i/iifistn/ ; that is, 

 <!hange<l into soiiuthing pnper t«) nourish the plant. I''nr there is no nourishment 

 in earth, air, and water as they are; liut vegetahles have the power of making 

 these into luairishment. And out of this nourishment it prepares, the plant make.H 

 more growtli. That is, it e.xtends the roots farther int() the soil, and s«'nds out 

 more liranchcs from them, inereasing its foothold and its surfaee for ahsorhing; 

 whik', ahove, it lengt hens t he stem and adds leaf after leaf, or shoots forth hruneheti 

 on which still more leaves are spread out in the light and air. * 



8. So the whole herh, or shruh, or tree, is laiili up. A tiny herb just sprouted 

 from the seed and the largest tree of the forest alike consist of root, stem, and 

 leaves, and nothing .Ise. Only tho tree has larger and more l)rancliing stem.s 

 and roots, and leaves by thousands. 



9. The Plant in Reproduction. After having attended in this way to its nourish- 

 ment ami growth for a certain time, the plant sets about reproducing itself by 

 wed. And for this purpose it l/luxfi>iii.<. • Many pl.-mts begin to blossom within 

 n few weeks after springing from the seed. All oui- uunualx, of wiiich the 

 (larden Morning-dlory (Fig. 4) is one, blossom in the course of the summer. 

 Jiienitiah, such as the Carrot, Parsnip, Mullein, and the common Thistle, 

 <lo not flower befoi-e the .second summer; iind shrubs and trees, and some herbs, 

 do not begin until they are .several years old. 



10. The object of the Flower is to form the Fniit. Tho es.sential part of the 

 fruit is the Seed. And the essenti il part of Ji seed is the (urni or J'Jiiif>ri/o it con- 

 *nin.s. The (>erm or Embryo is a little ])lantlet in the seed, ready to grow into- 

 a new plant when the seed is sown. Let us notice these organs one after the other, 

 beginning with 



