, 1859-02-25
AgticuIfufs.
How Seeds Grow.

self Plants know well enough that the
young germs by which their species are pIo-
pagated cannot take care Of themselves
until ihsy have rooted in the soil and expan-
ded few leaves in the air; so they store
up in a little sack around them ample pro-
visions of nutrition, chiefly starch, but vary
ing in different species, as gluten in rye and
wheat, legumen in peas and beans, etc. II
a grain of corn or wheat is examined, the
germ, or chit, is plainly discerniblc, surround
Cd by its store Of provender. So long as
the grain is kept dry, no change occurs; for
nature bass arranged il that change can be
Effected only by moisture. II itverc Other.
wise lt would be impossible to preserve
grains, for as soon as maturcd the kernels
would sprOut and grow.
Moisture and darkness, with suitable
warmth, are the necessary condition for
eerminatior, and at the freezing point all
vegetativo processes como to a standstill.
An these are furnished by the sun-warmed
earth. As soon as the seed is dropped into
-ths mould, it commences to absorb water
from the soil, swells up by tho addition, and
now down in its dark abode, the life awaken
ing rays of the sun work great changes.
The store Of starch, 50 long as il remains
starch, is useless to the germ; for only sol
iuhle materials can be used in the vegetable
economy. The process iS to employ fer
ment, and convert the insoluble starch into
soluble sugar. The parent plant has provi-
dsd fOrths smsrgsncy by storing away a
aminute quantity Of diAstase with the starch,
and this ac,s IN precisely the same manner
@ysa1t, converting the starch into sugar,
end, e ihs process was carried far enough,
suoild convert the sugar into alcohol, but
The greedy germ, now Ast shooting out,
drinks The svestsnsd juice as fast Is formed
without waiting for the more ardent bower.
age The brewer takes advantage of y Is
proccss e sugar can be manufactured in
dis manner far cheaper thanin any other,
and vhnp hsgsrm commences to sprout, ct
-uhsh time Tie barley contains the greatest
quantity Of sugar. he At once stops the pro.
ossS By exposing he grain to . current Ol
hot air, which, BY drying upthe moisture,
prevents the process from being carried
further. Tho parent plant could not store
up aqgEr for the germ, As L Is liable to
firmnut and undergo change; but starch
hnoi, and hdnoo starch is chosen. As il
is slowly conviited into sugar and absorbed
b. thp germ The latter rapidly expands,
until, bursfns from its prison house, L sends
6rocl down Into De soil Afterwards another
branch shoots upward into tho light. Il
matters not what lhe position Of The kernel
may Be, The root'bends arounduntil IL starts
siraisht down, and the stem twists until Il
can arise direct. y .-ssei
--sI Iremombar Of q boy who, aiier planting
beans Until ilfsd, planted some quart under
. ilAt stone, and n hoeihg, The hther, OBJ.
serving mo bean tops pOeping from under
tIs siono, liiled i Up and saw the countless
uklls stems ndiaiing from The common klll
N Ne cnnier. twisting and turning in every
possible manner togaih the outside daylight,
seeninssy los no c,hes purpose than 70 tell
-l.s rIls q guilt Others may hold what
theory they may, wshold that there is an in.
alihct o. vegetables which makes the leaves
.