Mallows (Malva borealis), show-
ing the long-petioled seed leaves
‘Cotyledons), and one plumule
leaf unfolded. 6. Filaria (Ero-
dium), with lobed or sub-com- &
pound seed leaves. 8 2 3 4 5 6


tiny bud; or, in the older plants, this may have grown other leaves, which
curiously enough are not like the first two. (Figures 1 to 6). Searching
through the shovelful of earth you will likely find plants in all stages of
growth, from swollen and sprouting seeds to stems, which are just push-
ing their bowed leaf-heads into the sunlight. Here, then, is material
from which you may learn how plants grow; a lesson, remember, which
no text-book or schoolmaster can teach you. It will be easier, however,-
since most of these early wild plants come from very small seeds, to take


vi INTRODUCTORY LESSONS.
your first lessons from plants which have larger beginnings. You should
first study—

2. The Plant in the seed. Get many kinds of large seeds, such as
peas, beans, squash-seeds, buckeyes, castor beans, corn, etc. Put them
in water that they may become soft enough to be readily separated into
their parts. In a day or two starchy seeds, such as peas or beans, will be
in good condition.
3. First take a bean and make drawings showing the outlines as seen
sidewise and edgewise. Any marks that seem to be found on all beans
must be put down in the drawing, but do not bother about tle shading.
These attempts to represent what you see will lead to the discovery of
certain marks on the concave edge of the bean, the meaning of which
you may sometime learn by studying the growth of the seed in the pod.
