60 



SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING 



If the bottle is examined several times during germination, 

 the roots will be found to grow much more rapidly than the 

 tops of the corn plants. This explains why corn is not so 

 easily destroyed as some weeds by a cultivator or other garden 

 implements. 



3. Root Hairs Form Early. — Between the folds of wet cloth or 



blotting paper, germinate seeds of peas, oats, beans, and squash. 



They may be placed inside a glass jar to prevent evaporation. After 



a few days, examine them and look for the abundant growth of root 



Fig. 38. Fig. 39. 



Fig. 38. — ^A potted plant with glass inverted over it will show moisture given off by 



the leaves. 

 Fig, 39. — The lower membrane of the egg is exposed to water in the bottle. 

 The two liquids tend to exchange places through the membrane, but the water 

 moves faster and soon fills the egg to overflowing. It then rises in tlie glass tube above. 



hairs on the roots. Note that at the vei^y tip of each root there are 

 no root hairs (Fig. 37). 



The early formation of the velvety root hairs shows the 

 effort of the young plant to obtain moisture from soil as soon 

 as germination takes place. ' 



4. Leaves Expel Moisture. — Invert a drinking glass or fruit 

 jar over a growing plant. A card should be placed o\'cr the soil 

 under the glass, excluding the soil moisture from the glass (Fig. 38). 

 If the plant is placed in the warm sunshine, only a few hours will 

 be required to show moisture collecting in the glass. This comes 

 from the leaves of the growing plant. 



