Fig. 5. A, outside of Maize fruit, showing the embryo (e) on one side; B, sprouting plant, showing the root (r) and shoot (s); C, the same further grown.
Now that you have examined some seeds, you should start a number growing, so as to have plenty to watch. They will grow more quickly if you soak them in water for a night before you plant them in damp sawdust, and keep them moist and fairly warm all the time. You should have a number of seeds of each kind planted together to provide enough for you to dig up one of them every day and examine it fully, inside as well as out. Make a drawing of each one so that you will have a complete series of drawings showing how the young plants grow. This will kill them, so that you must leave at least one seedling which is never touched, and which you can watch all through its life.
Fig. 6. Growth of Bean seedling: A, the root only showing; B, the root lengthening and shoot appearing.
As the young plant grows, notice how it breaks away from the protection of its nurse leaves; first the root comes out and bends downwards into the sawdust (see fig. 6 A), then the little shoot which bends up into the air.
Whichever way you plant the seeds you will find this is always the case, for even if you start with the root pointing up, it will bend round and grow downwards while the shoot bends up (see p. [41]).
As the plant gets bigger, side roots grow out from the main one, and the little leaves of the shoot begin to open out—the whole plant is growing (see fig. 7).