MANUAL, OF NATURE STUDY. 
87 
Roots. 
As an introduction to the subjeet of root function , 
the teacher should collect, or have collected, an as¬ 
sortment of roots, such as radish, to represent the 
fleshy root, onion to represent fibrous root, the 
dodder, or mistletoe for parasitic roots. Under¬ 
ground stems such as the potato tuber should be 
studied to know that they are not roots. Real roots 
do not bear buds, neither do they have leaves or 
leaf scars. The eye of the potato is a bud in the 
axil of a leaf scar, hence the potato is a stem. 
Other examples, such as Artichoke, the root stalks 
of garden Iris, Solomon’s Seal, Indian Turnip and 
Trillium should also be examined to show the var¬ 
ious modifications of under-ground stems. Bring 
in a whole “potato hill” if possible, so that the 
children may see that the roots of the potato plant 
are very different in structure from the tuber, which 
is simply a store house for the starch of the plant. 
Into this store house or potato, the entire life of the 
plant goes to sleep through the winter, and is 
called into existence as new plants at the return 
of spring. The first and most important use of 
roots is the absorption of water, not for the sake of 
the good to be derived from water especially, but 
for the food-salts dissolved in the water. See re¬ 
marks for third grade. 
