The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-05-27
Nature Study.
MRS. STEVENS'S NATURE
STUDY LETTERS.


XII.
Cor. of The Progressive Farmer.
The stroller in the moist May woods
will find much to interest and instruct
in the terminating seeds. 1t may be
a group of baby naples in various
stages of growth, perhaps the burst
ing samara standing on its head
against the dry leaves, or it may be a
winged individual which has matured
it's stem and root and stands alone
getting into position for a more am
bilious life; it may be an infant just
throwing off its swaddling clothes, or
still it may be a tiny tree with a half
dozen perfect leaves. A little further
on may be found the acorn with it's
determined rootlet making Roadway
into the mould while it's swelling seed
leaves are bursting their bonds.
This development of seeds is nicely
illustrated in our growing gardens
the bean, pea, corn, peanut, varying
somewhat in their manner of sending
forth their first leaves. AS mere quick
ening seeds they offer many interest
ing facts and illustrate the beautiful
plan of seed-germination in general;
so it will repay the observer to look
a little into the lesson which they
teach.
HOW SEEDS sPROUT.
By carefully separating the halves
of a bean, which is a good type for
study, may be seen concealed between
them the tiny plantlet all ready form
ed in the seed while the point upon the
outside is the "radicle" ready to
strike root. In the maple, acorn, bean
and peanut, first the rootlet seeks the
soil; this brings the seed on end, the
stem grows, the seed leaves swell and
burst the shell which soon falls away.
Soon a tiny pair of true leaves appear
between the seed leaves. Why there
should be this diversity between the
early and later leaves of the plant is a
matter of curiosity to the young OBJ
server. These seed leaves or "coty
ledons" are not true leaves but store
houses of food, and their office is to
nourish the infant plant until it's root
is sufficiently grown to absorb the
nourishment from the soil.
In the corn, pea, wheat and the
grasses the nourishing part remains
under ground and the unfolding leaf,
, small, but a true leaf, makes its ap-
pearance. Plants which are nourished
by a pair of seed leaves are called
"dicotelydinous," meaning two seed
leaves. Those that have the nourish-
ment in and around a single coty-
ledon, as in the pea, corn, are called
''monocotyledonous' plants. When
the plants are a little later developed
it will be interesting to compare a
cross section of the stem of a mono
cotyledonous with that of a dicotyled-
onous plant. Note the arrangement
of the bundles or veins which pass
trough the stem.
SOME EXPERIMENTS, INDOORS N OUT.
When in the woods scrape away the
surface of the ground and take up a
box of earth that has been buried sew
eral inches. Put this in a suitable
place and watch for ~sprouting seeds.
Take a small box of earth from the
surface of the ground in another
place. Note how many kinds of plants
grow from it. Can you discover how
these seeds happened to be planted
where they are? Are they near the
parent plant?
In some place not likely to be dis
turbed mark off a square of ground
and count the different kinds of plants
it produces. With what adverse in
fuences do sprouting seeds have to
contend?
Look for plants of the same kind in
different localities. Compare the
growth of those under trees or in the
shade of buildings with those away
from such influences. Compare those
growing in sand with those growing in
loan. Do they grow alike on different
sides of the house?
Some interesting experiments may
also be carried on within doors. Plant
beans and corn making the conditions
different; place some in the dark;
plant some in dry sand. Plant care
f,Ilr nlnc;nn the seeds In different