STUDIES OF SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS 13 



3. The dependence of seedlings upon the nouiishnient in tlie 

 cotyledons. Compare the growth of entire plantlets with that of 

 plantlets deprived of one or hoth cotyledons. 



4. 'I'd what size will the food stoi'e of the seed, with tlie addition 

 of water alone, bring the seedling? Exclude light; for in darkness 

 the seedling can make no new food. ISjirout several kinds of seeds, 

 choosing a variety as regards the amount of albumen or size of the 

 embryo. Tie mosquito netting loosely over the mouth of a dish, and 

 fill the dish with water imtil it touches the netting, ujion which place 

 the sprouted seeds with the I'adicles going down iidd the water. 

 Report the results, and illustrate with the plants gi-own. 



Investigations :j and -1 may ]>p, made at home. 



Divisions of the Vegetable Kingdom. The Course of Study 



One has l.mt to draw ii|>(in liis cver}'(lay ohservatioii to 

 realize liow varied is the plant realm. Tliere are such 

 diverse types as the trees and hcrhs that we see every- 

 where about us, the ferns, the mosses, the molds aiid 

 toadstools, and tlie seaweeds. These ditfer so widely 

 from one anotlier that at first si^ht there seems to he 

 little upon whieli one could base tiny notion of a eommnii 

 relationship. 



Nevertlieless, the multitude of forms have been brought 

 together into comj^aratively few grand divisions, and close 

 study has revealed a considerable measure of agreement 

 running tlirough the whole series. We may reasonably 

 suppose that all plants are of fine stock, anil that the 

 higlier groups liave sprung from forms ]-csend.)ling tlie 

 lower. 



In his pjresent work the student is concerned with but 

 one type, the highest of all, tliat of the Flowering 

 Pl.\nts, or Phanekogams. It comprises nearly all 

 the plants of large size, and by far tlie greater part 

 of those which are useful to mankind — the forests, 

 the grasses, the grains, the fruits, the filier jilants, — 

 those that at present make the earth green and hab- 

 itable. 



All the lower plants of diverse sorts, from the ferns 

 downward, are termed Floweulkss Plaxtr, or C'rypto- 

 <3AMS. They are reserved for the latter pari of the course. 



