42 



BOYS AND GIRLS IN BIOLOGY. 



hold something. This something yon will find at the 

 inner curve or dent of the bean — a little yellowish-white 

 thing, that looks like a worm coiled up (Fig. 32). This 

 is the germ, the part which grows up and makes the bean. 



Fig. 32. 



Little Feather, or 

 Plumule. 



Little Root, or 

 Eadicle. 



The Two Leaves which form the Cup, or Cotyledon, of the Bean. 



It must be very important, because Nature has taken 

 such pains to wrap it up in a great-coat, and give it 

 such a nice bed to lie in. I heard of some people who 

 threw away a whole crop of beans, because they thought 

 these little germs were worms. That must have been 

 before the old giant Ignorance was killed. The germs 

 are really worth looking at, they are so prettily made ; 

 the top curls inward, and looks like a little feather 

 (Fig. 32) ; so it is called the " plumule," which means 

 little feather. The bottom is pointed like a little root, 

 and is called the radicle, that is, little root. This is 

 all you can see till the bean begins to grow. Jack put 

 his bean into the ground, but if you put yours into a 

 glass of water it will grow quite as well. Plants will 



