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SECOND BOOK. 
3. In the seed of the date-palm, the seed-leaf 
draws in the food at its point, at the same time 
growing longer and longer. As it lengthens it 
serves the young plant an odd trick, for it pushes 
the bud and radicle out of the seed, as you see 
Germination of Gourd Seed, showing how the 
Seed-leaves leave the Husk. 
in the picture, though it never fails to pass food 
along to them until they can find it for themselves. 
4. In many seeds we find that the starch, oil, or 
other food that is stored up for the young plant is 
good food for ourselves. That is why we eat the 
seeds of the corn and cocoa-nut, or make drink from 
those of the coffee and cocoa, and why we take the 
trouble to rear the plants that yield them. 
5 . We have seen that the seed holds a living 
plant, resting amidst its store of food. In seeds 
that are kept perfectly dry the germ will continue 
