9'6 



OBJECT LESSONS IN BOTANY. 



kept dry ; but if exposed to moisture, it soon 

 awakes and commences its wonderful course of 

 development. 



195. In the Spring of tlie year the melting snows 

 or the warm rains supply the proper moisture to 

 the seeds which have fallen to the ground, and 

 they may be seen everywhere swelling, bursting, 

 and growing. The young botanist must not fail to 

 watch their development. 



196. Beneath some Oak, for example, 

 buried in the old leaves, we find acorns 

 in all stages of growth, showing at one 

 view all the steps in the process of ger- 

 mination. Here is an acorn with 

 its shell softened and its kernel a 

 little swollen. We divide it length- 

 wise with a sharp knife, and the 

 section (Fig. 318) shows the two 

 thick cotyledons (c c) and the 

 radicle (r). 



197. In another acorn (Fig. 

 319) the cotyledons have ab- 

 sorbed yet more water, and en- 

 larged so much as to burst 

 the shell, and the radicle 

 growing, has come forth, 

 a little root, directing its 

 course downwards. 



Fig. 818. Acorn, seed of the 



Oak, cut open, — showing c, c, 



the cotyledons ; ?•, the radicle. 



Figi. 319, 320, 821. Show the 



progVess of germination ; /■, radicle ; p, plumule. 



318 



194. Please tell us again what a seed is. In what condition is a seed ? 

 When will it awake ? 



195. CJondition of the seeds generally in Spring ? 



