ROOTS. 
75 
ROOTS.— IL 
1. I wonder why the carrot has such a thick 
root/' said Frank. 
" I will tell you a very good reason/' said his 
father. ''In that root a store of food is saved for 
the plant to feed upon as it brings forth its 
flowers and seeds. But, as you know, we very 
often step in and take this food for ourselves. 
The beet-root and turnip also store up food in 
their thickened tap-roots. 
2. ''Here is part of a cassava root, in which 
the branches have become thick from the same 
cause. As the swollen parts look very much like 
tubers, we call this a tuberous root." 
"And what is this one?" asked Frank, as he 
picked up a small orchid which his father had cut 
from a tree. 
3. " Ah ! that shows you that some roots grow 
open to the air and light instead of in the soil," 
replied Mr. Grey. "You may see them on the 
climbing stem of the five-finger, fixing it to a 
rock or tree. But can you not find some others 
in my basket?" 
4. Jane drew from the basket a piece of corn 
stem, and Frank found a piece of pepper plant, 
each of which had roots starting from some of its 
joints. 
