CHAPTEE I. 



HOW PLANTS GROW, AND WHAT THEIK PARTS OR ORGANS ARE. 



Section I.— The Parts of a Plant. 



4 Morning-Glory. 



1. Plants are chiefly made up of three parts, namely, of 

 Root, Stem, and Leaves. These are called the plant's Organs, 

 that is, its instruments. And as these parts are all that any 

 plant needs for its growth, or vegetation, they are called the 

 Organs of Vegetation. 



2. Plants also produce Flowers, from which comes the Fruit, 

 and from this, the Seed. These take no part in nourishing the 

 plant. Their use is to enable it to give rise to new individuals, 

 which increase the numbers of that kind of plant, to take the 

 place of the parent in due time, and keep up the stock ; that 

 is, to reproduce and perpetuate the species. So the Flower 

 with its parts, the Fruit, and the Seed, are called the plant's 

 Organs of Eeproduction. 



3. The different sorts of Lilies represented on the first page, 

 and the common Morning-Glory on this page, show all the 

 parts. 



4. The Root (Fig. 4, r) is the part which grows downwards 

 into the ground, and takes in nourishment for the plant from the 

 soil. It commonly branches again and again as it grows : its 

 smaller branches or fibres are named Rootlets. Real roots never 

 bear leaves, nor anything besides root-branches or rootlets. 



5. The Stem (Fig. 4, «) is the part which grows upwards, 

 and bears the leaves and blossoms. At certain fixed pjlaces ttft 

 stem bears a leaf or a pair of leaves. 



