SEEDS AND THEIR GROWTH 7 
advantage over soil in that it is cleaner and more easily 
removed from the growing plant when this is taken up 
to be examined. In order to follow the stages of growth 
a number of grains should be planted and a few raised 
and examined each day. 
The grain at first absorbs moisture, and then swells up 
and begins to show signs of life at the white patch which 
marks the position of the embryo. Here instead of one root 
—as in the case of the Pea or Bean—a number of small 
fibrous roots begin to show themselves almost at the same 
time. Unlike the radicle of the Bean, they do not grow 
directly downwards, but spread themselves out in all 
directions in search of food. Growing from the same 
part of the grain, and quite close to the roots, is the 
rounded stem which gradually curves upwards to the light. 
If, before reaching the surface, the*stem be cut through 
lengthwise, it will be found to consist of a sheath, the 
cotyledon, covering a green rod-like body, the stem. So 
soon as the plumule reaches the surface, or even before 
this, the stem breaks through the tip of the cotyledon. As 
it continues to grow, the sheathy leaves gradually unfold 
into the long narrow blades which form the leaves of 
Wheat or Maize. 
The endosperm, which originally formed a considerable 
part of the grain, gradually shrivels up and disappears as 
the plant continues to increase in size. The food material 
which it contained has been absorbed by the scutellum and 
conveyed to the young plant. It is in consequence of the 
nourishment thus obtained that the plant is able to grow 
at a time when it has neither roots to obtain food from 
the soil, nor leaves to absorb carbon-dioxide from the 
alr. 
Comparison and contrast of results obtained. 
—We are now in a position to compare and contrast the 
