30 
HOW PLANTS GROW YEAR AFTER YEAR. 
withering away, which grew in spring by one of its buds to make the stem (b) bear¬ 
ing the foliage of the season. This sends out some branches under ground, which 
in the course of the sea¬ 
son thicken at the end 
as they receive a stock 
of nourishment prepared 
by this year’s foliage, 
and become new tubers 
(e, a forming one; d, d, 
well-grown tubers of the 
season), to live over 
winter and make the 
next year’s growth. 
75. Because they live 
under ground, these tu¬ 
bers are commonly sup¬ 
posed to be roots; but 
they are not, as any one 
may see. Their eyes 
are buds; and the little 
scales behind the eyes 
answer to leaves; while 
roots bear neither buds 
nor leaves. The fibrous roots which grow from these subterranean branches are 
very different in appearance from under-ground stems, as is plain to see in the 
Potato-plant. Fig. 60 shows 
a few of the real roots, as 
well as several branches of 
the stem, with potatoes form¬ 
ing in all stages at their tips. 
Fig. 61 is one of these form¬ 
ing potatoes magnified, show¬ 
ing a little scale behind each 
eye which answers to a leaf. Fig. 62 is a part of a slice through an eye, more 
magnified, to show that the eye is really a bud, covered with little scales. 
Solomon’s-Seal. 
61 62 
