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210
The Fairy-Land of Science
·
Arabella B. Buckley
136
We
will
try
to
follow
out
something
of
this
life
to-day;
and
first,
we
will
begin
with
the
seed.
I
have
here
a
packet
of
primrose-seeds,
but
they
are
so
small
that
we
cannot
examine
them;
so
I
have
also
had
given
to
each
one
of
you
an
almond-kernel,
which
is
the
seed
of
the
almond-
tree,
and
which
has
been
soaked,
so
that
it
splits
in
half
easily.
From
this
we
can
learn
about
seeds
in
general,
and
then
apply
it
to
the
primrose.
If
you
peel
the
two
skins
off
your
almond-seed
(the
thick,
brown,
outside
skin,
and
the
thin,
transparent
one
under
it),
the
two
halves
of
the
almond
will
slip
apart
quite
easily.
One
of
these
halves
will
have
a
small
dent
at
the
pointed
end,
while
in
the
other
half
you
will
see
a
little
lump,
which
fitted
into
the
dent
when
the
two
halves
were
joined.
This
little
lump
(a
b,
Fig.
37)
is
a
young
plant,
and
the
two
halves
of
the
almond
are
the
seed
leaves
which
hold
the
plantlet,
and
feed
it
till
it
can
feed
itself.
The
rounded
end
of
the
plantlet
(b)
sticking
out
of
the
almond,
is
the
beginning
of
the
root,
while
the
other
end
(a)
will
in
time
become
the
stem.
If
you
look
carefully,
you
will
see
two
little
points
at
this
end,
which
are
the
tips
of
future
leaves.
Only
think
how
minute
this
plantlet
must
be
in
a
primrose,
where
the
whole
seed
is
scarcely
larger
than
a
grain
of
sand!
Yet
in
this
tiny
plantlet
lies
hid
the
life
of
the
future
plant.
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