The weekly Butte record., 1861-05-04
Wonders of termination.

Wonders of termination.
Some seeds when put into the earth germin-
ate quickly, others more slowly; some even
stay there long and very variable time before
they appear on the surface
Llnneus says: =" When but boy, my father
had given me a little garden within his own,
where reared all sorts of plants in great num-
bers. Among others, l remember very well a
particular thistle, which for many years my
father had in vain made every effort to destroy
completely; the same ground bringing forth
every succeeding year new individuals of this
detested species, although their predecessors
had invariably been pulled up and burnt. l
have now learned the cause of what appeared
unaccountable TO US then. 1t must have been
the presence of latent seeds coming to light
from time to time, as | know that these seeds,
when consigned to the earth, may remain there
during two, three and even ten or twenty years
without losing their power of termination"
A plant which had not been seen for forty
years in the Botanical Garden of Upsal, re ap-
peared there spontaneously in the year 1871, i,
after the ground had been dug up. Another
plant, lobelia, re-appeared and fourished in
the Botanical Garden of Amsterdam, after
lying buried in the earth twenty years. Gu
cumber seeds have been kept forty years, and
even fifty years. without losing their germina-
tive power. The railway excavation every
where have brought to light, plants long
supposed to be extinct.
Corn found in the luins at the fire of London
has been raised wheat which has been enclos-
ed in the wrappings of an Egyptian mummy
has been reared, and has reproduced fruit in
Germany; Indian corn taken from the tombs
of the Incas has done the same thing in Amer
lea. 1t has been observed that when the
virgin forests of America have been burnt
down, and the land ploughed up, an entirely
new flora has appeared fact which has been
accounted for, by the suppositiou that the
seeds had been buried for ages, in depths be-
yond the reach of vegetation.
The ground or earth nut (Arachis) is the
fruit of plant growing in South America not
unlike our bean. After the flowers fall off, the
young pods bend until they reach the ground,
where they bury their seeds three or four inch
es under the SOIL These nuts contain an ex-
tremely sweet fixed oil, like that of almonds,
which, if they were allowed to ripen above
ground, would become rancid and useless, and
the seeds would not germinate when planted.
The negroes of South Carolina make these
earth nuts their principal food.
The seeds of the pine and fir trees are pro-
tected in a somewhat similar manner. On
account Of their oily nature, too much heat
would be apt to make them rancid and sterile
therefore the scales of the cone, which, while
the tree is in flower are spread out when the
seed is ripe, close one over the other like the
tiles OF roof, effectually shutting out the rain;
and in proportion as winter approaches and
the cold increases, the scales tighten more and
more round the seeds they defend. About the
beginning of April, when the returning sur
sends forth his first warm rays, the scales of
the cone open, and lets the seeds fall to be re-
ceived into the bosom of the tepd earth, where
vernal showers soon draw out their roots.
The subterraneous pea (Lathyrus subtera-
neaum) bears very few blossoms upon its flower
stalk, and still fewer fruits; but there spring
from the plant, white flower stalks, having no
leaves, and bearing not variegated colored
flowers like the others but white ones These
white flowers produce fruit which is immedi-
ately consigned to the earth, and thus screened
from devastation by birds. 1t would appear
that the colored flowers are for show, and the
white flowers for use. The seeds of one of the
clovers are protected in the same way.
Certain seeds, owing to curious arrange
ment of their various parts, have tedency
to move about If seed of the plant ballad
crupina Ia kind of centaury) is placed 10 the
palm OF the hand, it will be sure to move off !:
and if put between the stocking and the back
part of the foot. it will work its way over the
collar or at the sleeve These movements are
made by the erect and projecting bristIes with
which the seeds are armed, moving always 10
one direction, like feet. The seeds of the ster-
lie oat (Ayena nuda.) after it has been gather
ed into the barn, will wander out of their seed
cups, and, If the weather is damp, march off in
body, like regiment of flies to the nearest
wall, where they will fix and take root The
explanation of this apparently marvellous phe-
nomenou is extremely simple. Each grain is
surmounted by a long spiral bristle or avn,
which is very sensitive to every change CT
weather, and which lengthens or contracts
according as the air is moist or dry. Thus, a
forward motion is produced like snail putting
out its body and then pulling its shell after it.
The seed is prevented from going backwards,
by the small spines placed backwards, covering