HOW PLANTS GROW FKOM THE SEED. 



19 



leaves supplying abundant materials for the growth. A cherry-seed is just like an 

 almond, only on a smaller scale. Fig. 38 is the embryo of a Cherry, with the 

 very thick seed-leaves a little separated. Fig. 39 is the same developed into a 

 young plantlet. Fed by the abundant nourishment in the seed-leaves, it shoots up 

 its stem and unfolds three or four leaves before the Maple (Fig. 28, 29) or the 

 Morning-Glory (Fig. 20 - 22) 

 would have made any. It is 

 the same in the Chestnut and 

 the Beech. In these, as in the 

 Cherry and the Bean, the thick 

 seed-leaves, which make the 

 whole kernel, come up, turn 

 green, and become thinner as 

 they give up their load of 

 nourishment to the growing 

 parts ; they evidently try to 

 become useful green leaves ; 

 but having been used for hold- 

 ing nourishment, they remain 

 too thick 'and clumsy for foli- 

 age, and they soon die or fall 

 off. But in 



43. The Horsechesfnnt, the 

 Acorn, and the Pea, the seed- 

 leaves are so very thick, and 

 so heavily loaded, that they 

 never undertake to serve any 

 other purpose than that of 

 feeding the other parts as they 

 grow. So they remain in the 

 shell or husk ; and, as they 

 are not to rise out of the 

 ground, there is no need for 

 their stemlet, or radicle, to 

 lengthen, except enough to get 



