VII 



SEED-TIME AND SOWING 



Seeds are the most important things belong- 

 ing to a tree. It works for many weeks form- 

 ing them and storing them safely away. In- 

 deed the making and sowing of seeds is its chief 

 business, in order that its kind may never die 

 from the face of the earth. 



Such wonderful treasure boxes as are con- 

 structed for storing the seed! They are of 

 many kinds, sizes, shapes, and colors. And 

 some of them are very odd. Some open by 

 springs, some have hinges, and some must be 

 broken open to reach the treasures. Many of 

 the most beautiful treasure boxes are good for 

 food. Take, for example, the apple, the peach, 

 the pear, the plum, and the cherry. 



Let us examine an apple. First it is enclosed 

 in a thin, smooth, tough covering. The tough- 

 ness protects the apple from bruises; the 

 smoothness keeps dirt from clinging to it. The 

 juicy pulp is built around a core made up of 

 hard cells. Within the cells are the little brown 



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