NATURE-STUDY LESSONS. 129 



20. (a) Turn a seed in the sawdust or earth so that 



the positions of the cauHcle and plumule, 

 relative to the earth, are reversed, and note 

 what takes place. 

 (5) Describe this action. 



This growth of the embryo of the seed until the plantlet has secured a 

 foothold in the soil and gathers food for itself is called germiimtion. 



21. Observe the germination of any seeds which are 

 common about the premises, such as those of the elm 

 and maple found in lawns and along fences. 



22. Other means of observing germination are the 

 following : — 



{a) Fill a box a foot long and three inches wide, 

 one side of which is formed by a pane of 

 glass sloping obliquely upward from the 

 middle of the bottom, three-fourths full of 

 moss or peaty earth and sow seeds along 

 the margin of the glass. Observe how the 

 roots spread over the glass. 

 {b) Procure a sheet of flannel six inches wide and 

 several feet long. Crease it into folds and 

 run a seam through each fold about four 

 inches from the margin. Place seeds of 

 various kinds in the flannel between the 

 folds. Place it over a vessel of water so 

 that the folds may be in the water. The 

 seeds will be kept moist and should be 

 observed from day to day. 



XXXIII.-THE POTATO. 



Make observations in a potato-patch when the plants are in various stages 

 of development. 



A. Planting. 



I. Observe how the ground is prepared before the 



potatoes are planted. 



