SEEDS 



25 



in place by means of wooden frames with grooves sawed in for 

 slipping in the glass. The two sides are to be kept dark with a 

 cloth or board covering except when observing the roots, which 

 may well be seen thru the glass. 



Another means for seeing the growth of root is by planting 

 the seeds on a piece of netting tied over the mouth of a jar filled 

 with water sufficiently to bring the water just in contact with the 

 seeds. Seeds planted between layers of cloth or blotting paper 

 kept moist will grow roots of considerable size and allow the ex- 

 amination of root hairs and root cap. 



With many seeds planted in the various ways indicated, and 

 a supply of seeds for successive planting to study out phases 

 that were missed in the first observation, or to settle questions of 

 doubt, the teacher has abundant and rich material for many les- 

 sons, which, interspersed with those on animals and minerals, will 

 extend over a long period. 



Now what is to be looked for in this material? First is to be 

 noted just how the different seeds "come up." Each kind of seed 

 has the problems to solve of getting its parts out of the seed coats, 

 its first root started downward and fixed in its position and its 

 young stem started upward. Have the pupils note carefully 

 each step in the above mentioned process. How the seed coats 

 are moistened; the contents swollen with the imbibed water; the 

 seed coats split and pried open, and the seed leaves with the 

 young stem and the minute new leaves withdrawn from the coats 

 in some seeds; in others the seed leaves are not withdrawn but re- 

 main in the seed coat and the ground, the root and stem escaping 

 however. Find out also how these steps are taken with corn, 

 wheat and onion seeds. In brief, keeping in mind that the grow- 

 ing seed is a living thing very active, and active too with purposes, 

 have the pupils over and over again on different .seeds watch tae 

 series of actions of a germinating seed and, as far as may be dis- 

 covered, the purpose of each action. 



