CHAPTER II 

 STORAGE OF FOOD IN THE SEED 



12. Food in the Embryo Squash seeds are not much 



used for human food, though both these and melon seeds 

 are occasionally eaten in parts of Europe ; but beans and 

 peas are important articles of food. Whether the material 

 accumulated in the cotyledons is an aid to the growth of 

 the young plant may be learned from a simple experiment. 



13. Mutilated and Perfect Seedlings One of the best 



ways in which to find out the importance and the special 

 use of any part of a plant is to remove the part in ques- 

 tion and see how the plant behaves afterward. 



EXPERIMENT IV i 



Are the Cotyledons of a Pea of any Use to the Seedling ? — Sprout 

 ssTsral peas on blotting paper. When the plumules ajipear, carefully 

 cut away the cotyledons from some of the seeds. Place on a peifo- 

 rated cork, as shown in Fig. 4, one or two seedlings from which the 

 cotyledons have been cut, and as many which have not been muti- 

 lated, and allow the roots to extend into the water. Let them grow 

 for some days, or even weeks, and note results. 



14 Storage of Food outside of the Embryo. — In very 

 many cases the cotyledons contain little food, but there is 

 a supply of it stored in the seed beside or around them 

 (Figs. 5 and 6). 



1 May be a home experiment. 

 12 



