24 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 
evaporation cover them with a piece of glass, an inverted tumbler, or 
other convenient object. Keep in a warm place. 
2. To learn: What are the first signs of germination ? 
Watch the seeds in the preceding experiment and see (a) what change 
takes place in their size, and (b) what comes out when the seed coat is 
broken, — does the plumule (upper part) or caulicle (root end) appear 
first? To answer the last ques- 
tion, observe the growth of the 
young plants till you can recog- 
nize the root. 
3. To learn: To find the 
embryo or young plantlet 
c in the seed. 
“A BEAN SEED 
A, as seen from the side; B, an edge Take a bean that began to 
view, showing the scar by which the seed germinate several days ago as 
was attached; C, with one half of theseed in Experiment 1. Separate the 
coat and one seed leaf removed, showing two halves and examine what 
tee plumule, radicle, and remaining seed you find between them. You 
E should easily recognize the upper 
part or plumule of the baby plant. Now take a large bean that has 
been soaked in water only one day. You will find the embryo there 
also, but iti is smaller. Dissect kernels of corn that have germinated 
for several days and try to find the embryo. 
4. To learn: Will seeds germinate well without air? 
Take a small bottle, put some damp blotting paper on the bottom of 
it, and then fill it three quarters full of soaked seeds. Now close the 
bottle tightly with a rubber stopper, or with a cork well covered with 
melted paraffine or tallow. 
Place a few other seeds of the same kind, and similarly soaked, in a 
second bottle with damp blotting paper on the bottom. Cover this 
bottle loosely to prevent evaporation but allow access of air. Place the 
bottles side by side so that they will have the same conditions of heat 
and light. Watch the results. 
