106 THE WORK OF PLANTS 
There are several distinct water paths in the shoot. 
This shows us in a very clear way that the red dye is 
taken up along with the water and stains 
the plant. In the garden balsam or the 
nasturtium we can sometimes see red 
streaks in the shoot by looking at the - 
outside.. These mark the paths through 
which the water flows. They are better 
seen if we cut one of these coloured shoots 
intwo. In the cut shoot they will show as 
small round red spots where the coloured 
water has passed. In splitting the stem 

they would appear as long red streaks or 
Fig. 140. Portion . 
ofstemofgarden bundles. Jn these bundles there are tiny 
balsam. The col- ; ‘ 
oured tracts tubes or vessels, through which the water 
show through 
the outside of flows. Therefore we call the water Pa 
igs in plants vascular bundles. 
The arrangement of the vascular bundles. 
In cutting across the shoot of the garden 
balsam, or any of these plants, you will see 
that these bundles have a regular arrange- 
ment. ‘hey are in the form of a ring. 
These plants are annuals, that is, they live Fre. 141. Cut end 
only one year. There is but one ring of ae 
bundles in them. If you look at the P*™selce 
stump of an oak tree or at the end of a log, you 
will see many rings. Each year the bundle grows in 

