MANUAI, OP NATURE STUDY. 89 



Where is the store of nourisliment in cabbage ? 

 When does the plant draw upon it to support 

 the seed factory ? (The next year.) How about 

 the turnips? The radish? Parsnip? In what 

 respect are these roots like the potato tuber ? How 

 different ? 



See third year work for illustrations of the per- 

 sistence and energy of subterranean roots, for ex- 

 ample, the willow. 



Nearly all the fleshy roots are biennial plants, while 

 the annuals are fibrous. This provision is good 

 economy in nature, as the biennial plant must 

 have a rich supply of food on hand to develop the 

 second year stalk that bears the seed, while the 

 annual exhausts all its energy in the development 

 of seed the first year. Where is the store-house 

 of the annual ? (In the seed.) 



The storehouse of the biennial during the first 

 year is underground. Where is it at the close of 

 the second year ? Plant a few grains of corn in a 

 box of dirt. In a few days examine the growth. 

 Which part of the young plant appeared first, the 

 root or the stalk ? Why should the root appear 

 first ? The first root is called the tap root. When 

 does it cease to be of service to the plant ? 



Let the children examine the several stalks that 

 still hold the tap root and shell of the grain from 



