The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-03-23
5Ibs 1}IpnnrtirlD gin'rs.
HOUSE, FARM AND GARDEN.
Mysteries Of a seed.

Mysteries Of a seed.
Have you ever considered how Won
&derful thing the seed OF plant isY 1t
is the miracle OF miracles. God said
Let there be plants yielding seed,
and II is further added, each one after
n his kind"
The great naturalist, Cuvier, thought
that the germs of all past, present, and
future generations of seeds were con-
talned one within the other, as If pack
ed In succession of boxes Other
learned men have explained this
mystery in different way. Bat what
signify all their explanations Let them
explain 1t as they will, the wonder re-
mains the same, and we must still look
upon the reproduction of the seed rs
continual miracle.
Is there upon earth machine, is
there palace, is there even city,
which contains so much that is wonder
ful as Is inclosed in single seed-one
grain of corn, one little brown apple
seed, one small seed of tree-picked
up, perhaps by a bird for her little ones
the smallest seed poppy or a bluebell,
or even one of the seeds that float about
In the air invisible to our eyes There
lis a world of marvels and brilliant beau
ties hidden in each of these tiny seeds.
Consider their immense number, the
perfect separation of the different kinds,
their power of life and resurrection and
their wonderful fruitfulnessi
Consider, first, their number. About
/ a hundred and fifty years ago, the cele-
brated Lin@us, "the father of Botany"
reckoned about 5000 different kinds of
plants; and he then thought that the
whole number existing could not much
exceed 10000. But, a hundred years af-
ter him, M. de Candolle, of Geneva, des-
cribed 10000 kinds of plants; and at a
later period he counted 10000, then sO,-
600, and he supposed 1t possible that the
number might even amount to 100000
Well, let us ask, have these 100 900
kinds of plants ever failed to bear the
right seedp Have they ever deceived
us? Has seed Of wheat ever yielded
barley, or the seed of a poppy grown up
intoa sunfiowerp Has sycamore tree
ever sprung from an acorn, or beech
tree from chestnut A little bird may
carry away the small seed of sycamore
inits beak to feed its nestlings, and, on
the way, may drop it to the ground.
The tiny seed may spring up and grow
where 1t fell unnoticed, and In sixty
years'it may become magnificent tree,
under the shade of which the flocks of
thevalleys and their shepherds may
rest.
49, Consider next the wonderful power of
life and resurrection bestowed on the
seeds of plants, so that they may be pre-
served from year to year, and even from
century to century.
Let a child put few seeds in draw
er, and shut them up, and sixty years
afterwards, when his hair is white and
his step tottering, let him take one of
CHEESE seeds and sow it in the ground,
and soon after he will see it spring up
into new life, and become young,
fresh, and beautiful plant.
M. Jouannet relates that in the year
1855 several old Celtic tombs were dis
covered near Bergoric. Under the head
of each of the dead bodies there was
found a small square stone or brick,
with a hole in it, containing few seeds,
Which had been planted there beside the
dead by the heather friends who had
SurieS them, perhaps / 800 or l 200 years
before. These seeds were carefully SOW
I'D by those who found them-and what,
hink you, was seen to spring up from
his dust of the dead ?--beautiful sun
Iowers, blue cornhowers, and clover,
pearing blossoms as bright and sweet as
hose woven into wIeaths by merry
Hiidren playing i'm the 6elds.
$ome years ago vase, Theoretically
Mled, was found in a mummy pit in
+ seYpt, by Wilkinson, who sent IL to
m British Museum. The librarian
= ere, having unfortunately broken it.
Novered in 1t few grains of wheat
nd one or two peas, old, wrlnkled, and
hard as stone. The peas were planted
1refuly under glass on the 4th of
une, 1874, and at the end of thirty days
ese old seeds were seen to spring up
to new life. They had been buried
otably about 8 ,00S years ago (perhaps
the time of Moses,) and had slept all
time apparently dead, yet still liv-
In the dust of the tomb.
not the springing of the seed an