HOW PLANTS GROW PROM THE SEED. 



17 



ences in the particulars. While the same kind of plant always grows in exactly 

 the same way, different kinds differ almost as much at the beginning as they do 

 afterwards. The great variety which we observe among the herbs and shrubs 

 and trees around us, — in foliage, flower, fruit, and everything, — gives to vegeta- 

 tion one of its greatest charms. We should soon tire of plants or flowers made 

 all after one exact pattern, however beautiful. We enjoy variety. But the bota- 

 nist finds a higher interest in all these differences than any one else, because he 

 discerns one simple plan running through all this diversity, and everywhere re- 

 peated in different forms. He sees that in every plant there is root growing down- 

 wards, connecting the vegetable with the soil; stem rising into the light and air, 

 and bearing leaves at regular places, and then blossoms, and that the parts of one 

 kind of blossom answer to those of another, only differing in shape; and he de- 

 lights in observing how the tens of thousands of kinds of plants all harmonize with 

 each other, like the parts of concerted music, — plainly showing that they were all 

 contrived, as parts of one system, by one Divine Mind. 



38. So in the beginning, in the growth of plants from the seed, although the 

 general plan is the same in all, the variations are many and great. The plan is 

 well shown in the two seedling plants which have served for illustration, namely, 

 the Morning-Glory and the Maple. Let us now notice some of the variations, as 

 exhibited in a few very common plants. A great deal may be learned from the 

 commonest plants, if we will only open our eyes to see them, and " consider how 

 they grow," and why they differ in the way they do. Take, for instance, 



39. The Bean. Soak a bean in warm water (if a fresh one is not to be had) 

 and remove the coats. The whole kernel consists , 



of an embryo, as seen in Fig. 32. And almost 

 the whole bulk of this embryo consists of two 

 thick pieces, c, c, which are the cotyledons or 

 seed-leaves. We may make out the plan of the 

 whole thing better by spreading these thick seed- 

 leaves wide open, as in Fig. 33. Here the two 

 thick seed-leaves are seen from the inside, c, c ; 



they are connected with the upper end of a stemlet, which is the radicle, 

 above this already shows the bud or plumule, p. 



40. So the embryo of the Bean is the same in plan as that of the Maple (Fig. 

 27) only the stemlet is much shorter in proportion, and the seed-leaves very much 

 lar"-er and thicker. What is the reason of this difference ? 



and' 



