CHAPTER IV 
SEEDS, GERMINATION; AND SEEDLINGS; EXPERIMENTS 
Germination is a most fascinating stage of plant growth 
and the following studies should be fruitful for students 
of all ages. Special care must be taken, however, to make 
them effective, for it is much easier to sprout seeds and leave 
them to be stared at aimlessly than to make sure of “ getting 
the point.”” The observation must be definite. The student 
should note exactly what he is to learn in each experiment 
and he should not be satisfied until by trial and observation 
he has found out the facts from Nature herself. The teacher 
should always call attention to the practical use that the 
farmer and gardener make of the facts observed. 
Oral and Written Composition.— The preparation of a 
clear report of an experiment will insure a good understand- 
ing of it, and it is also a profitable exercise in composition. 
MareERIAts REQUIRED. — A handful of beans, peas, wheat, Indian 
corn, and squash or pumpkin seeds. To supplement these a few other 
large seeds are desirable, such as ‘oats, watermelon, cucumber, flax, 
sunflower, morning glory, and box elder. Also some sand, earth, saw- 
dust, blotting paper, flower pots, small wooden boxes, tin pans or cans, 
and other receptacles in which to plant seeds. Also some mosquito 
netting or coarse cheese cloth, small panes of glass, and glass tumblers. 
1. To learn: How to make seeds sprout. 
Put different kinds of seeds on wet sawdust, sand, earth, blotting 
paper, cloth, or sponge. After the seeds are soaked, they must not 
lie in water, nor must they be allowed to become dry. To prevent 
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