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Written for Burke’s Weekly.
LESSONS IN BOTANY.
BY AMATEUR.
LESSON XV.
Roots.
is a Root? In common
language it is that part of the
plant which is below the sur
face of the ground.
What are the uses of Roots ? They
are several : they serve as a support to
hold the plant in an upright position ;
they draw all the food of the plant from
the ground; and they often serve as
reservoirs in which is stored a great
deal of nutriment for the future sup
port of the plant.
How are Roots divided? Into two
classes—the Axial and the Inaxial.
What are Axial Roots? Axial Roots
are all those which grow down into the
ground with a central axis, from which
the roots are given off on all sides, as
in the Pine.
What are Inaxial Roots ? They are
all roots which have no main stem, but
break away into many roots at the sur
face of the ground, as in Grasses, Oats,
Wheat, etc.
What are the kinds of Axial Roots?
The Ilamose, Fusiform, Napiform and
Conical.
'which descends into the
■id, giving off branches, and is
lost in branches ; illustrated in
Fig. 51.
What is a Fusiform Root? One that
is spindle-shaped—a fleshy root gradu
ally tapering to the lower end, giving
off small roots. Examples Beet,
Radish ; illustrated in Fig. 52.
What is a Napiform Root? It is a
fleshy root, whose diameter exceeds its
length, as the Turnip; illustrated in
Fig. 53.
What is a Conical Root? One which
gradually tapers all the way from the
surface of the ground to the lower end,
as in the Carrot. The Fusiform swells
out first at the top, and then tapers.
What are the forms of Inaxial Roots?
The Fibrous , the Fibro-tuberous, Cora
line, Nodular , and Moniliform.
What are Fibrous Roots ? They are
numerous fine thread-like divisions or
fibres arising directly from the base of
the stem, as in the Grasses, Fig. 60.
What are Fibro-tuberous Roots? The
same as the Fibrous, only that more or
less of the fibres are enlarged or fleshy,
as in Fig. 55.
What are Coraline Roots? Irregu
larly branching roots, the branches
fleshy, short and jointed, somewhat
like a pile of stringed beads, as in
Fig. 54.
What are Nodular Roots? Roots
which at irregular intervals have the
fibres enlaiged or nodulated, as in
Fig. 58.
BURKE’S WEEKLY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.
What is a Moniliform Root? The
same, except that the enlargements are
at regular distances, as in Fig. 57.
What is a Tuberous Root? Any root
is Tuberose, which has tubers at the
end of the roots or rootlets, or which
51. 52. 53. 54.
has but one at the base of the stem,
as in Fig. 59.
How do Roots draw nourishment
from the ground? By means of nu
merous small and very fine rootlets,
55, ' 56. 57. 58.
called spongioles, which are the only
part of the plant destitute of epidermis,
except the Stigma. These spongioles
are shown in Fig. 61.
59. 60. 61.
What are the enlargements shown in
Figs. 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59 for? They
are storehouses, we may say, in which
the plant stores up starchy matter for
the future support of the plant or its
progeny.
Note. —With this lesson will close
the series. The writer is well aware
that these lessons are far from perfect.
But it is believed that if they have been
well studied by any one, they will serve
as a good introduction to the study of
Botany. It would be utterly impossi
ble in such a series of lessons, so to
teach a pupil that without other aid he
could analyse plants for himself; there
fore the writer has never entertained
such a thought. But he flatters him
self, that but little more than is con
tained in these lessons, will enable any
one to commence analysis for himself.
But Practical Analysis can only be
learned among plants in the woods and
fields. And the best advice that can be
given to a beginner in Botany is to
study it in the woods or with specimens
before him.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
Some Singular Pets.
Shis is a true story I propose
relating. It occurred in this
neighborhood.
There w’ere two sisters, Mollie and
Sallie, who attended school at a house
situated at the foot of a small mountain
in a dense forest. As they neared the
school-house one morning, little six
year-old Sallie saw in a hollow tree two
small ground rattlesnakes engaged in
playing. She paused, pleased with their
sports. The kindness of her heart
prompted her to throw them some food
from her school-basket.
This she continued to do from day to
day, until the little snakes watched for
her presence with evident eagerness.
At last they became so gentle, that they
ventured to leave their stronghold, and
would gambol around her in the most
fearless manner. She now began to
pet and caress them. They would run
over her lap, and frisk about, showing
the utmost appreciation of her affection
and kindness.
Mollie remonstrated with her sister,
and threatened if she did not abandon
her pets that she would inform her
father. Sallie besought her so earnest
ly not to inform against her, that Mollie
consented to the secret a while
longer. At last, fear for her sister’s
called Sallie to him, and reasoned with
her for some time, closing by telling
her that she was liable at any time to
be bitten by the snakes, and she might
die from the effects of their bites.
Their old nurse—a faithful mulatto
servant —overheard her master say one
day that he intended to kill the snakes.
She rushed into his presence, and ex
claimed :
“Oh! master, don’t you kill Miss
Sallie’s pets! if you do, some harm
will come to the child; for they have
charmed her. If you kill them, she
will perish away like a shadow —some
evil will surely befall her.”
A little while after this, one of the
school-boys killed one of the snakes.
Sallie grieved greatly over the loss of
it. Her affection now seemed to in
crease for the remaining one. Her fa
ther became really alarmed for her
safety, and one morning he - secretly
followed her to school. He saw her
stop and have her usual play with her
pet, and then go on with a gay, happy
heart towards the school-house. He
waited until she was out of sight, and
then, with a sad heart, for the grief he
knew he would cause his child, he killed
the remaining pet.
Years passed, and he kept the secret
from his daughter, for he truly loved
her, and did not wish to appear cruel
in her eyes. Love for her safety alone
prompted him to do the deed.
No evil betel Sallie after the death of
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