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Youwillobserve: Each whole seed is covered by a tough skin-like coat.
There is a scar where each wasattachedto the pod. Justabovethatscar is a
tiny hole in the seed coat.
When youseparatethe two halvesofthe seeds you will find, neatly tucked
in one half, a smallstructurewith twodistinctparts.

The skin-like coveringofthe whole seed is its"coat."Itserves theprotective

purposeofany coat.

The two halvesofthe seed are calledcotyledons. They contain stored

food for the baby plant.

Nestled between the two seed halves (cotyledons) is a tinystructurecalled

the embryo. Ifthe seed isprovidedwithenoughmoistureand warmth, the

embryo will grow into a baby plant.

The lower,hook-likepartofthe embryo will grow to become theroots

andpartofthe stemoftheplant. The tiny leaf-likepartofthe embryo will

become the partofthe stem above thegroundand the first two green leaves

ofthe new plant. The growing embryo will live on the food thatisstoredin

the cotyledons until it has grown its first green leaves above theground. The

green leaves will then manufacturefood for theyoungplantby the process

ofphotosynthesis.

HOW SEEDS PLANT THEMSELVES

Materials:In the late fallofthe year collect the following seeds: maple,

ash, thistle, elm,dandelion,milkweed,burdockorcocklebur,"beggar'stick,"

snapdragon. Also get anacorn,a coconutand a cherry pit. You may want

to use abotanyhandbookto help you identify these different seeds.

You willobserve:The maple seed has double wings. The ash and elm

seeds have single wings. Thedandelionseed has a featherystructureresembling

a parachute. Both the thistle and the milkweed seeds have soft, wispy plumes

and tufts. Burdock orcockleburand "beggar'stick"havehook-likebarbs.

Theacornis nut-like. Snapdragonseeds, like green pea seeds, are encased in

pods from which they arelater"shot." Cherry seeds are buried in a fleshy