MANUAI, OP NATURE STUDY. 87 



Roots. 



As an introduction to the subject oi root function, 

 the teacher should collect, or have collected, an as- 

 sortment of roots, such as radish, to represent the 

 fleshy root, onion to represent fibrous root, the 

 dodder, or mistletoe for parasitic roots. Under- 

 ground stems such as the potato tuber should be 

 studied to know that they are not roots. Real roots 

 do not bear buds, neither do they have leaves or 

 leaf scars. The eye of the potato is a bud in the 

 axil of a leaf scar, hence the potato is a stem. 

 Other examples, such as Artichoke, the root stalks 

 of garden Iris, Solomon's Seal, Indian Turnip and 

 Trillium should also be examined to show the var- 

 ious modifications of under-ground stems. Bring 

 in a whole "potato hill" if possible, so that the 

 children may see that the roots of the potato plant 

 are very different in structure from the tuber, which 

 is simply a store house for the starch of the plant. 

 Into this store house or potato, the entire life of the 

 plant goes to sleep through the winter, and is 

 called into existence as new plants at the return 

 of spring. The first and most important use of 

 roots is the absorption of water, not for the sake of 

 the good to be derived from water especially, but 

 for the food-salts dissolved in the water. See re- 

 marks for third grade. 



