HOW THE SEEDS BEHAVE 9 
be that they have taken in water, or have absorbed — 
water, as we say. ‘This has increased their size, made 
~~, them wet inside, and soft. 
) How the pea and bean seeds swell. ‘The pea 
and bean swell in a curious way, as can be seen 
by looking at them at short intervals after they 
Pra. veties have been placed in the water. The water is 
voakingin taken in at first more rapidly by the coat 
ee of the seed than by the other parts. The coat 
becomes much wrinkled then, as 
if it were too big for the seed. 
First the wrinkles begin to appear | = 
bs oe 
round one edge. Then they be- ca WSN\G 
(EIEN \ 5 6 8 Ba S 
al ERY ( 





come more numerous, and extend 
. Fig. 16. Bean seeds with coats 
farther over the surface, until the ~ \iiniging as they soak in 
water. 
entire coat is strongly wrinkled, 
as shown in Fig. 16. This loosens the coat from the 
bulk of the seed, and perhaps is one reason . 
why this coat slips off so easily while the 
loop of the stem is pulling the inside of 
the seed out of the ground. Finally the 
ric. 17. Bean seeq JSide parts swell as they take up water. 
eee an They fill out the coat again so that it 1s 
nowsmooth. smooth, as shown in Fig. 17. 
The first sign of the seedling. In a very few days, 
now that the seeds are thoroughly soaked with water, 
the signs of life begin to appear. The root grows out 

