Yet in beans, peas, grass-seeds, grain, fruits, it is so fenced on all sides, so shut up and protected, that whilst the seed itself is rudely handled, tossed into sacks, shovelled into heaps, the sacred particle, the miniature plant remains unhurt. It is wonderful, also, how long many kinds of seeds, by the help of their integuments, and perhaps of their oils, stand out against decay. A grain of mustard-seed has been known to lie in the earth for a hundred years; and as soon as it had acquired a favourable situation, to shoot as vigorously as if just gathered from the plant. Then, as to the second point, the temporary support of the future plant, the matter stands thus. In grain, and pulse, and kernels, and pipins, the germ composes a very small part of the seed. The rest consists of a nutritious substance, from which the sprout draws its aliment for some considerable time after it is put forth; viz., until the fibres, shot out from the other end of the seed, are able to imbibe juices from the earth, in a sufficient quantity for its demand. It is owing to this constitution that we see seeds sprout, and the sprouts make a considerable progress, without any earth at all. [Verse: "Say not ye, There are four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."--JOHN IV.] From the conformation of fruits alone, one might be led, even without experience, to suppose, that part of this provision was destined for the utilities of animals. As limited to the plant, the provision itself seems to go beyond its object. The flesh of an apple, the pulp of an orange, the meat of a plum, the fatness of the olive, appear to be _more_ than sufficient for the nourishing of the seed or kernel. The event shows, that this redundancy, if it be one, ministers to the support and gratification of animal natures; and when we observe a provision to be more than sufficient for one purpose, yet wanted for another purpose, it is not unfair to conclude that both purposes were contemplated together.--_Paley._ 1173. _Why have climbing plants tough curly tendrils?_ Because, _having no woody stalks of their own_ to support them, they require to take hold of surrounding objects, and raise themselves from the ground by climbing. Their spiral tendrils are, therefore, so many hands, assisting them to rise from the earth. 1174. _Why does the pea put forth tendrils, and the bean not?_ Because the bean has in its stalk _sufficient woody fibre to support itself_, but the pea has not. We do not know a single tree or shrub having a firm strong stem sufficient for its support which is _also_ supplied with tendrils. 1175. _Why do the ears of wheat stand up by day, and turn down by night?_