THE GROWTH OF THE PLANT 



m 



That a seeding is a]>le to al^iorb water has already 

 been ^nved in JExpeziment 1. 



Now soak a broaid-bean in water for a day. RemoTe 

 it and squeeze geratly. Water oozes tfazoiig)i the 

 miiaopyle. Is it then through the micropyie utat the 

 water was al^orbed ? 



EXPERIMEST 51 



Aim. — ^To d^j^mine whether water is absorbed by 

 the Inoad-bean seed through the micropyie only, or 

 whether it can be taki^ in throi^h the 

 testa as welL 



Heyiod. — Suspend a broad-bean in a 

 beaks of water by means of cotton so that 

 the mieropylie is well out of the wabex 

 (Fi?. 39). 



OfaservataiBis. — ^The immeised portion of 

 the hean becomes swoU^i £rst. Later the 

 swelling exlraids to the part of the bean 

 that is out of die watar. 



Iiiference& — The bioad-bean absorbs 

 water tfaron^i the t^a. as well as through the micro- 

 pyie^ The water that has been ateorbed can pass &om 

 one ^st of the seed to anothra'. 



1^ absorptian of wetter by a seed is termed Itiihibition. 



riG.sa 



& Food as a Necessary ^£tor in Ctemiinatioii 



The question of the food of the adatt plant has 

 aJready beeik dealt with in a loi^ series of espaimaits. 

 From these experimerats it has been learnt that the 

 plant gets food both &om the soil and from the air. 

 It remains now to find out wh^bh^ th^e sources of 

 food-^ippIy are available and nec^sary for the eaily 

 st^es m the life of the planL 



u w31 be nranembexed that the food &om the air is 

 takrai in <mly by the green parts of plants. It iblloTrs. 

 thexefoie, tl^ the seedling cannot take in food &om 



