IG FAMILIAR LESSONS IN BOTANY. 



That they are — 1. Fibrous ; 2. Creeping ; 3. Fusiform ; 

 4. Napiform; 5. Branching; 6. Tuberous; 7. Bulbous; 

 8. Ehizoma. 



28. The work of supplying the plant with nourishment 

 has merely been stated. The process by which this is done 

 shall be more fully explained in a future chapter, Avhen, 

 after the description of other organs, you Avill be more 

 fully able to comprehend the higher functions of this. I 

 have now finished wliat I pui-pose to tell you about roots; 

 and as this is the first organ we have had under considera- 

 tion, I will now explain to you, before we go any further, 

 what an organ is. 



29. Webster says, ^' An organ is an instrument or medium 

 by which an important action is performed, or an import- 

 ant object is accomplished ; a natural part of a living 

 existence, capable of special functions that are essential to 

 the life and well-being of the whole." For instance, your 

 heart is an instrument that performs the very important 

 action of sending the. blood through every artery in your 

 body; it is a natural part of your living existence ; that is, 

 it is no artificial addition made after you had come into 

 existence. It performs the office I mentioned above, re- 

 ceiving and propelling the blood ; it does it independently, 

 that is its special function, no other part of you can do it, 

 and it is so entirely essential to your life that should it 

 cease to beat ten minutes, you would cease to live. 



30. "We have seen that the root is an instrument by 

 which an important action is performed, an important 

 object accomplished, imbibing moisture and food from the 

 soil, nourishing the plant, and fixing it in its place of 

 abode. We furthermore liave seen that no other part of 

 the plant could do this work ; and as the plant would per- 



28 . Has the process by which phints are nourished been explained ? Why not ? 



29. Give WL-h*ter's definition of an organ. 



30. What have wc seen concerning the root? Shall wc therefore call it an 

 orsran ? 



