8 
LABORATORY EXERCISES 
orange, and the capsule of the morning-glory. In each determine 
what floral parts are represented. 
V. What is a fruit? Pulpy fruits often remain hard and inedible 
until ripe. Why is this of advantage to the plant? Name several 
fruits that have not been mentioned in this exercise. 
EXERCISE 9 
SEED DISPERSAL 
This exercise may be assigned as individual work or may be used 
as the basis for a field trip of the entire class, 
I. Collect seeds which are disseminated by wind, by animals, 
and, if possible, by water and by mechanical means. 
II. List these in tabulated form, indicating the characteristics 
of each seed and the means of the dispersal of each. 
Name 
OP SEED 
Adaptations for 
DISPERSAL 
Agent op 
DISPERSAL 
III. Make a chart on which specimens illustrative of each type 
of dissemination are mounted and labeled. (The chart may be 
made as individual or class work.) 
IV. Remove the seeds of a single ragweed, pigweed, or some other 
weed which bears an abundance of seed. (If the ragweed is used, 
save the seeds for Exercise 61.) Count or estimate approximately 
the total number of seeds which have been borne by the plant. (If 
the seeds are very numerous, a small quantity may be measured or 
weighed and the seeds which compose it may be counted. Follow¬ 
ing this, the entire quantity may be measured or weighed. The 
total number of seeds may then be determined with considerable 
accuracy by multiplying the number of seeds in the small quantity 
