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grows most. (8.) In another flannel garden sow wheat, oats, barley, and some grass-seed and clover. How do the cereals differ from the vegetables in germination? The grasses from the clovers ? Notice the primary radicle or root of the pea, bean, radish, and clover, and the insipient secondary roots. Notice that such a root is,followed by two seed-leaves (dicotyledons), while the fibrous roots of grasses and cereals are followed by only one seed-leaf (monocotyledon). Observe the incipient adventitious roots of grains and grasses, and how stolling or tillering commences. (9.) Plant three rows of different grains—say wheat, oats, and barley, four grains of each, in a flower-pot. Pinch off two of each when about 3 in. high, and watch the product of each individual grain. What are the advantages of tillering of grains? Is it an advantage in grasses? What grasses tiller most? (10.) Plant some large seeds, such its beans, cucumber, vegetable marrow, pumpkin, and onion, in a flannel garden, and observe the different methods of getting rid of seedcoats. (11.) Moisten some cress and mustard seeds in a saucer, and observe how a gelatinous covering imbibes water, and envelopes the seed in a jelly-like mass. Most of the mustard family have this imbibing property. Also linseed flax. What purposes are served thereby? Might not this sticky covering also help hold the seed-coat in the soil, and free the seed-leaves? Observe whether flax, cress, turnip, radish, cabbage, &c, do leave their seed-coats in the soil. Might not the spines on many seeds, such as carrots, dandelions, cockles, &c, serve a similar purpose? And some seeds have ridges— e.g., pennycress, evening primrose, ox-eye daisy, lettuce, &c. Group garden-seeds into families by outward resemblance—carrot family, mustard family, melon family, bean family, beet family, lie. (12.) To show how seeds and seedlings get moisture from the soil, place a bunch of table raisins in a glass, and fill with water. Taste the water, and renew it again and again, until the raisins become plump (turgid) like the original grape. Taste. How did the water enter the raisin ? (A 2.) Indoor Plant Experiments.—(a.) Second Year's Course. (1.) Demonstrate that seeds and seedlings need air for germination. Try germinating a variety of seeds in sealed conical flasks of different sizes, 2, 4, 8, and 16 oz. When is germination prevented? When is growth checked? (2.) Burn a candle on top of some moist peas in a gas-jar, and then seal the jar, and compare germination with that of moist peas in a sealed gas-jar in which no candle was burned. Put a candle in the latter after the peas have sprouted. Why does the candle go out ? On account of lack of something, not on account of the presence of something. What does a candle need in the burning? By means of a tube, breathe through some lime-water. What causes the clear solution to turn milky? Use some lime-water in a test tube, as a test for carbon-dioxide given off during germination. The taking-in of oxygen and the giving-off of carbon-dioxide in germination is called "respiration." It is a breaking-down process, and is wasteful of plant-substance. It takes place very rapidly in the budding and blossoming of plants. The soaked seeds weigh more before germination than after. How is this? Is germination growth? (3.) Place some soaked peas in one end of each of two U-shaped tubes, cork tightly, and invert the free end of one in a solution of caustic potash to absorb all the carbon-dioxide given off in germination, and the free end of the other in a solution of pyrogallic acid to absorb all the oxygen of the enclosed air before germination. Observe the extent to which these fluids rise, and when they rise. How is germination effected? What proportion of air is oxygen? If mercury were used as one of the fluids it would not absorb either the oxygen or the carbon-dioxide, and would remain at about its own level, showing that in most seeds the amount of carbon-dioxide given off is about equal to the oxygen taken in. f4.) Demonstrate that roots need air, by growing watercress in two vessels of water, one of fresh water, kept aerated with a stick, and the other of boiled water covered with oil. (5.) Water cultures may be successfully carried on with slips of Wandering Jew or Inch Plant (Tradescantia). A mere pinch of different artificial manures in a quart jar of water will keep this plant thriving for five or six weeks, and shows the value or effect of the different plantfoods. Keep the water-solutions well stirred and aerated. Unless an insignificant amount of nitrogenous manure is used, the plant will be hindered instead of helped. This is more or less true with all experiments with nitrogenous manures. (6.) Seedlings for class use can be easily grown in trays of moist sawdust. Only study the seed and the seedling as it develops. Don't pry a dry seed open to find its structure; let nature reveal herself. The seed will show its entire structure as it germinates. Even the smallest clover-seed will display all its parts on a magnified scale as it unfolds. Notice the germ of the wheat or corn as it "sprouts." Call attention to "albuminous" or "ex-albuminous" seeds as the seedling uses up the food that has been stored up for it outside the germ, or inside the seed-leaves, as the case may be. Does the bean always use up all the food within its seed-leaves? Why? Is the kernel of grain or corn always completely devoured by the seedling? Why? Is it usually devoured? Then, what advantage will large plump seeds have over the shrunken? What may be the disadvantage of planting very large potato sets? Frequently only a small portion of the set is consumed before the seedling has established itself independently, and the old set is left to rot and spread disease. (7.) Try seed-selection in a flannel garden or sawdust farm. Take 100 of each kind to get percentage. Pick out some wheat-germs with a knife-point, and notice that they perish as quickly as they germinate. Why? Test the germination of seeds you know to be green,*immature, shrunken. What percentage germinates? (8.) Notice the "shepherd's crook" made by the radicle of most seedlings. What is gained by this bend? Beans pull off their seed-coats in this way — i.e., by a hypocotyl growth, but observe that scarlet-runners, peas, and acorns have an epicotyl growth, and so leave the seed-leaves in the ground. Study a seedling karaka. (9.) Grow some seedlings in the dark. What is the cause of the etiolation or lack of colour? Notice how the light retards rapid growth, as well as establishes " plnnt-green " or chlorophyll, which soon transforms the weak, juicy seedling into a healthy, vigorous plant. But if light retards growth, why do plants turn towards the light? Are they not forced towards the light by the too excessive growth on the shaded side? What should be an

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