THE DALLYINTET .T JQENOER,
PCBU8HED XVKKT ZVES1BO,
BY STEINMAN & HENSEL,
intelligencer IJulldlng, Southwest Cerner of
Centre Square.
The Daily Intelligencer is furnished te
subscribers in the City of Lancaster and sur sur
leunding towns, accessible by Uallread and
D.dly Stage Lines at Ten Cents 1'eb Week,
payable te the Carriers, weekly. By Mail, $5 a
year in advance ; otherwise, $G.
Entered at the pest efllce at Lancaster, Ta., as
second class mail matter.
-The STEAM JOB HUNTING DEI'ABT DEI'ABT
MENTei this establishment possesses unsur
passed facilities for the execution of all kinds
et I'juin and rnncv Printing.
COAX.
B.
IS. MARTIN,
Wholesale and Itctail Dealer in all kinds of
LUMBER AND COAL.
S-Tard : Ne. 430 North Water and Prince
st teeth, above Lemen, Lancaster. n3-lyd
COAL! COAL! COAL! COAL!
Ceal of the Best Juallty put up expieasly
for family use, and at the low
est mai ket prices.
TRY A SAMPLE TON.
S- YAItD ISO SOUTH WATER ST.
nc29-lyd PHILIP SCIIUM, SON & CO.
JUST RECEIVED A FINK LOT OF BALED
HAT AND STRAW, at
M. F. STEIGERWALT & SON'S,
DEALERS IN
FLOUR, GRAIN AND COAL,
251 NOUTH WATEUSTBEET.
83" Western Fleur a Specialty. s27-lyd
i"10AL! COAL!! REMOVAL!!!
RUSSEL & SHULMYER
nave lemeved their Ceal Olllec fiem Ne. 15 te
Ne, '"EAST KING STREET, wheie they will
bi pleaded touuiten their lrlends and guai
nntcc full satislactien.
-Don't lerget Ne. 22. nprS-lmdtaw
C0H0 & WILEY,
:tr,0 XORT1I VATER ST., Xancaster, J'a.,
Wholesale and Retail Dealers in
LUMBER AND COAL.
Alse, Contractors and Builders.
Estimate- made and centractu undertaken
nn all kinds of buildings.
Branch OMcc : Ne. 3 NORTH DUKE ST.
febiS-lyd
COAL! - - - COAL!!
OO TO
GORRECHT & CO.,
Fer Geed and Cheap Ceal. Taid Hurrliburg
1'ike. Ofllce 20 East Chestnut Street.
P. W. UOUUECIIT, Agt.
.1. 15. K1LEY.
W. A. KELLEU.
9-1 yd
HOOKS AK1 STATJUXERY.
vkw stationery!
New, Plain and Fancy
STATIONERY.
Alse, Velvet and Kastlakc
PICTURE FRAMES AND EASELS.
AT
L. M. FLYNN'S
TOOK AM) STATIONERY STORE,
Ne. 42 WEST KING STREET.
8
1'ECIAL NOTICE!
AECHEET !
A FINE LINE OF
ARCHERY GOODS,
JUST DECEIVED,
AND FOR SALE AT Tilt: HOOK STOKE
OF
JOM BAEE'S SOIS,
15 and 17 NORTH QUEEN STREET,
LANCASTER, PA.
GROCERIES.
-Tlf HOLESALE AND RETAIL.
LEVAN'S FLOUR
AT
Ne. 227 NORTH PRINCE STREET.
dl7-lyd
TABLE SUPPLIES !
CANNED FRUITS, viz: Peaches Pears,
Pine Applet. Cherries, California Green Gages.
Egg Plums, Nectarines, &c.
CANNED VEGETABLES, viz:-Tomatees
Cern, Gieen Peas, lac.
CANNED FISH, viz : Sardines, Fic&h Sal,
men, Fresh Lebster, Ac.
CONDENSED MILK. Eagle Brand.
CROSS A BLACICWELL'S Pickles and
Sauces COXE'a Gelatine, MAKGE FIL'S Cel.
ebratcd Brand Macaroni, Latest Importation.
BAKER'S Breakfast Cocea and Ne. 1 Prem
ium Chocolates.
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC FRUITS, viz:
Raisins, Prunes, Figs, Prunelles, Evaporated
Peaches, Apples, Cranberiies, &c.
MISCELLANEOUS. Tapioca, Farina, Cern
Starch, Ilemmy, Peas and Beans, Barley, Bice
Fleur, Baking le dcrs, Ac., at
D. S. BUESK'S,
Ne. 17 EAST KING STKKET.
CARPETS.
H. S. SHIRK'S
CARPET HALL,
202 WEST KING STREET,
Has the Largest and Cheapest Stock of all
kinds of CAKPETS in Lancaster. Over
100 Pieces of Brussels
en hand, as low as 81.00 and upwards.
Carpets made te order at short notice. Will
also pay 10 cents ler Extra Carpet Rugd.
43-Glve us a trial.
202 WEST KING STREET.
ED UCATIOXAX.
ri'HE ACAUEMX .CONNECTED WITH
X Franklin and Marshall College eilers su
perier advantages te young men and boys who
desire either teprepare for college or te obtain
a thei eugli academic education. Students re
ceived :it any time during the school year
Send for circulars. Address
BEV. JAMES CRAWFORD,
ectll-lv Lancaster. Pa.
AE. McCANN, AUCTIONEER OF REAL
Estate and Personal Property. Orders
left at Ne. 35 Charlette street, or at the Black
Derse Hetel, 44 and 46 North Queen street, will
receive nmmpt attention, fills mad entana
ftttuMteWlUwtalaittmal9wt. 87-ly
DRY
THE GRAND DEPOT
IS THE LARGEST RETAIL HOUSE in the United States,
exclusive of New Yerk City. It carries DOUBLE THE
STOCK of any Retail Heuse in Philadelphia.
Buyers are Sure of Seeing the LARGEST ASSORT
MENT of Newest Goods. A System of Business is ob
served that Ensures PERFECT SATISFACTION.
A CORDIAL INVITATION is Extended te all who
visit us.
The New Stock for Spring is Just Opened.
JOHN WANAMAKER,
13th Street, Market te Chestnut,
PHILADELPHIA.
New Spring Dress Goods,
AT THE
NEW YORK STORE.
-se:-
WATT, SHAND & COMPANY
have opened an Immense Stock of New Goods and with them offer tlie following
SPECIAL BARGAINS:
OneC- ' j oily Suitings 10c per yard, common price 12c. One Case Spring Dress
Goods, 16c pur yard, worth 35c. One Case Broadhead Alpacas 2Hc per yard. These goods aie
warranted net te shrink or curl when wet. Latest Novelties in French, English and American
Diess Goods, Black Silks, Colored Silks, Summer Silks and Novelty Trimmings in Great Va
liety. S-Nete New Addle-..
S AND 1 0 EAST KING STREET.
SPRING DRESS GOODS!
SPRING DRESS GOODS!
Ladies, we are etreiing New and Desirable Effects In
Dress Materials for Spring Wear.
We aie new showing Silk and Weel Nevelties, Colored Silks, Satins and Summer Silks.
IVEW SPUING LAVTOS,
NEW SPRING PERCALES,
NEW SPRING GINGHAMS,
NEW SPRING HOSIERY,
NEW SPRING GLOVES.
RIBBONS, CORSETS, UNDERWEAR, &c.
We call Special Attention te our Large Stock of CABPETS and PAPEIl HANGINGS.
J. B. MARTIN & CO.
SPEING- DET GOODS
-AT-
HAGER & BROTHERS,
Xe. 25 WEST KING STREET, LANCASTER.
-:e:-
LADIES' DRESS GOODS!
All the Novelties of the Season in the New Spring Shades. White Goods, Laces, Hosiery
and Gloves.
GENTS' WEAR. GENTS' WEAR.
Spi ing Cheviots, French, English and American Suitings, and Clothing in Large Assort
ment. Carpets, Linoleum and- Oil Cleths. China and Cocea Mattings and Paper Hangings.
A Laige and Complete Stock in all Departments, and at the Lewest Price.
Si-Call and examine.
HAGER & BROTHER.
WATCHES,
EDW. J. ZAHM, Jeweler,
Zahm's Cerner,
DEALER IN
AMERICAN & FOREIGN WATCHES,
Sterling Silver and Silver-Plated Ware,
Clocks, Jewelry aid Ami Tied Spectacles.
e offer our patrons the benefit of our long experience In business, by which we are able
te aid them in making the best use of their money in any department of our business. We
manufacture a large part et the goods we sell, and buy only lrem First-Class Houses. Every
article sold accompanied with a bill stating its quality.
fla,First-Cless Watch and General Kepalrlng given special attention.
ZAHM'S CORNER.
CARRIAGES,
S. B. BAILY.
S. E. BAILY & Ce.,
Manufacturers
CARRIAGES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION !
Office and Warerooms, 430 and 432 North Queen Street. Factory,
431 and 433 Market Street, Lancaster, Pa.
We arc new ready for SPRING TKADE, with a Fine Assortment of
Bin Carriages, Plate, Market Wagons, t
Having purchased our stock for cash, before the recent advance, wa are enabled te offer
SPECIAL INDUCEMENTS IN PBICE. We will keep in stock BUGGIES OF ALL GRADES
ud PRICES te salt all classes et customers SPECIAL" BABGAIN8 IN HA11KKX YTA40NS.
GiveaaeaH. All werk fally hamate year.
GOODS.
JEWELRY, Ac.
Lancaster, Pa.,
LANCASTER, PA.
1'HAETOXS. &c
W. W. BAILY
of and Dcalcn. In
Lancaster 1-ntelli'gcnccr.
FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 23, 1880.
M WONDERFUL SEED
IN THE ECONOMY OF NATURE.
Tarts for the Contemplation et tbe Student
and the General Keader Something
About the Pessibilitie of a Seed
ItH Technology, Vitality, Produc
tiveness, ate What Science
Eath Wrought In this
Great ."Field of In
vestigation. Lecture before the Plant Club of the Yeung
Men's Christian Association April 19, by J.
P. McCaskey.
"And Ged said, Let the earth bring
forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the
fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind,
whose seed is in itself upon the earth ; and
it was se.
" And the earth brought forth grass, and
herb yielding seed after its kind, and the
tree yielding fruit whose seed was in itself
after its kind ; and Ued saw that it was
geed.
"And the evening and the morning were
the third day."
The "third day "before the light of
sun, or moon, or stars, had penetrated the
dense atmosphere of our earth, the earliest
vegetable growth was created upon it, the
conditions of heat and moisture being very
different from what they are new. The
fourth act of the grand drama having made
clear the atmosphere, through vast
stretches of time, the curtain rose upon the
fifth, an era of indefinite extent, during
whose millions of years, earth and air and
sea were made te swarm with the animal
creation. And last of all, came man upon
the scene, who, by intelligent observation,
study, use of everything he found here,
was gradually te acquire "dominion" ever
all. The record proceeds, closing the first
chapter of Genesis.
Se much for the order of creation as it
bears upon our subject, and for the origin
of the little seed which in its immense pos
sibilities, as we reflect upon them becomes
a very miracle of wonder.
The Seed and the Fruit.
The seed is a product se precious that
all the energies of the plant arc directed
towards its elaboration and perfection. It
is described as the " embryo with its en
velopes, or the ovule having attained ma
turity " which, in favorable soil and under
proper conditions of heat and moisture
will reproduce herb, shrub or tree, identi
cal with that from which it was itself pro
duced. The distinction between the seed and
the fruit is readily and constantly made.
"Webster defines the latter, "whatever is
produced for the enjoyment of man or ani
mal by the processes of vegetable growth ;
that part of plants which contains the seed,
especially the juicy, pulpy products of cer
tain plants covering and including then
seeds, as the apple, plum, pear, peach, ber
ries, figs, melons and ethers."
Thus far the dictionary. The Betany
adds : " The ripened ovary with its con
tents is the fruit of plants, and whatever
adheres te the ovary also becomes pait of
the fruit." The ovule becomes the seed,
its ovary the pericarp, and both together,
with the addition of the calyx-tube, con
stitute the fruit."
Although the fruit is one, the seeds con
tained within it may be many. The orange,
golden apple of the Hesperides, we take as
a unit. Its seeds the average eater rejects
as net of the fruit. In this he is wremj,
though right eneught in regarding tbein
unfit te be eaten. The peach, delighting
the eye with its beauty, regaling the sense
of smell with its fragrance, and most lus
cious of all our native fruits, preserves its
single seed in a stony cell, with millions
in it" an infinite possibility of orchards
that the wildest fancy of a Delaware peach
grower can never compass ! The apple, as
fruit in the market, is one thing ; the little
seed, beine always at its heart unnoticed
and untheught of save te be cast aside as
of no value, is another. But in that tiny
seed its powers utilized at the best, ate
tree and flower, and annually recurring
seed, in an increasing progicssien for all
time beyond anything that arithmetic tells
of.
"What Plant we In the Apple Tree?" -asks
WhiUicr in one of his late poems, and
he answers the question in a half-dozen
pleasant verses. "What plant we in the
apple seed?" would be a question equally
suggestive. If Ged saw fit te bring forth
the first apple tree from a single germ,
think for a moment of all the wealth of
geed cheer and health ard blessings te fu
ture ages that lay hidden in the delicate
embryo and minute oetylcdons of that lone
precious seed. Weigh it against the sil
ver of Mexico or Nevada, the geld of
Ophir, California, or Australia ; the dia
monds of Golconda, of Brazil or Seuth
America and that first little seed, in its
possibilities, were worth them all ! Docs
this sound like " free reins te fancy ?"
Se be it. We delight in fancy net that
which runs away with the fact, but that
which glorifies the fact.
PossibllitlegefaSoed.
And se, in varrying degree, arc the in
finite possibilities of reproduction in the
seed of every herb, and plant, and shrub,
and tree, which appears in each of the 100,
000 distinct species already recegnizeil
throughout the world. In a single acorn
are possibilities vast enough te include all
the oaks that ever grew or ever will grew,
with all the manifold benefits resulting te
man from the timber of the oak tree. Se
of the chestnut, the hickory and walnut,
and ethers, of which we can always buy
many 4seeds at little cost. We never
dream of what we have in a handful of
chestnuts or shellbarks. In the little seed
of the pine are all the forests of their kind
that had ever clothed, with waving green,
hillside or mountain, vale and plain, sup
plying timber for man's needs through all
ages of tbe past, and destined, nodeubt, te
continue the supply through all coming
time.
. The little seed ! such are its possibilities.
The wildest fancy of the wildest romancer
must here fall infinitely short of justice te
the sober facts of science. Tennyson ad
dresses the plant :
" Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies :
Held you here, root and all, in my hand.
Little Flower but it I could understand
What yen are, root and all. and all in all,
I should knew what Ged and man is."
But back of the plant and the flower
stands our seed, and back of the seed
that life-energy of which men speculate but
in regard te which, save in its results, the
wisest of mortals knows no mere than
the most ignorant. This secret of life
man will doubtless learn, as he continues
in another sphere of existence the study of
Ged's infinite plan. Archimedes had un
bounded faith in the power of his lever,
and vainly asked only a fulcrum en which
te place it that he might move the world.
The mysterious agency of life in Ged's
great lever brought te bear upon the ani
mal and the vegetable kingdoms of nature.
It asks only the minute embryo of the
seed, or the spore of the fern, as its ful
crum, that it tee may " mere the world."
Archimedes would have failed te make
geed his vain-glorious beast, had all the
conditions he asked been supplied. Ged
never fails.
Without attempting an exhaustive treat
ment of our subject for which ability no
less than time is wanting we shall touch
briefly a few general heads of mere or less
interest, including the technology of the
seed, its general structure, the manner of
its dispersen, its vitality, its abundant
product, and its economic uses.
Technology of the Seed.
The placenta is a copious development of
cellular tissue where the edges of the car-
pellary leaf meet and unite. The ovule
is borne by the placenta, and is the rudi
ment of the futtuc seed. It consists of a
nucleus and two external coats, the outer
of which is the testa and the inner the teg
men. The base of the nucleus is always
united with the base of the internal mem
brane, and their common base is attached
te the testa. The junction of the three
forms the clialaza. The scar which marks
the attachment of the seed with the pla
centa is called the hilum. Through this
point alone nourishment is imparted for
the perfection of the internal parts of the
seed. The chaliza and hilum aie identical
when the ovule stands upright, but when
in any ether position they arc at different
points and the ridge which connects them
is called the raphe. The foramen, or
orifice of the ovule, through which the in
fluence of the pollen is introduced te the
nucleus, is a small aperture usually formed
by the contraction of the testa and tegmen,
the outer and inner coverings of the seed.
The position of the feiamen which marks
the apex of the ovule, indicates the future
position of the radicle of the embryo, the
radicle being always next the foramen.
Through this orifice, which is also known
as the micrepyle, or "little gate," the
young sheet makes its way.
The seed is the ovule arrived at maturity.
It consists of integuments, albumen, and
embryo ; a naked seed is only found in these
rare cases in which the ovule is naked.
The seed proceeds from a placenta te
which it is attached by what is known as
the funiculus, which sometimes as in the
case the dogwood, becomes extended about
the seed into a fleshy body called the aril
or arillus. The mace of the nutmeg is the
aiillus of that seed. The integuments of
the seed arc called the testa and include
both the tegmen and testa of the ovule.
Between the integuments and the embryo
of many plants lies a substance called the
albumen or perisperin, thenatuicef which
is of great importance. The albumen of
giaius and grasses is mealy, in some plants
it somewhat resembles leather, in ethers
horn, in ethers it is oily in character, as
in the peppy, and in still ethers, thin and
mcmbianeus.
The cmhrye is the organized body that
lies within the seed. It is the plant in
miniature, and is destined te become a
plant similar in all respects te that from
which it sprang. It is usually, but net
always, solitary in the seed, and comprises
cotyledons, radicle, plumule, and axis. The
colikdens aie the undeveloped seed leaves;
the plumule is a rudimentary leaf, but des
tined te beceme the stem ; the radicle by
germination becomes the root and the axis
is the dividing line between root and stem.
One or Mere Seed Leaves.
The seed contains, in one form or anoth
er, as has just been said, the miniature
plant or tree, with usually a magazine of
such feed as may be needed te give it a
fair "start in the world." The life forces,
in some way unexplained and inexplicable,
take held of this embryo under favorable
conditions, and from the tiny germ
often se small that a microscope of high
power is needed te detect it plants and
and tree?, vast of size, aie built up, cell by
cell, whose life-period may embrace years,
decades, centuries.
Passing by these plants which are poly pely poly
cetylcdonous, that is, with many seed
leaves, as the pines ; and acotyledenous,
with no true seeds, as the ferns and the
messes ; we find most plants and trees
with which wc are familiar included under
the great divisions nonecolyledonous and
dicotyledonous, leferiing always te the
number of cotyledons or seed-leaves in the
embryo. The former of these or the non nen non
ecotyledonous division,embraces the palms,
rushes, orchids, lilies, pine-apples, ba
nanas, grasses, grains, Indian corn, etc.,
all of them endegens or inside-growing
plants, whose leaves arc almost with
out exception parallel-veined. The
dicotyledonous plants include most of the
outside growers, or exegena, these whose
leivcs arc nctted-veincd. While in the
former case, there is but a single seed-leaf,
here there arc two seed-leaves.
In many cases the colytedens included
in the embryo are thick and fleshy, as the
chestnut, the beechnut, acorn, almond,
peach, pear, apple, squash, pumpkin, bean,
pea and ethers which might readily be
named. In the squash and pumpkin,
these cotyledons are carried above the
ground by the growing germ and appear
as leaves somewhat develepid but never be
coming large and vigorous ; while in the
bean, although rising above the ground,
they arc seen thrown off by the young
plants as of no fuither use and apparently
tee unwieldy te be transformed into ordi
nary leaves. The cotyledons of the acorn,
chestnut, almond, peach and ten thousand
ether seeds, large and small, are net car
ried above the ground, but each from its
adequate store of proper nourishment,
under proper conditions of moisture and
sunlight, supplies what is necessary te the
growth of the tender plantlet, until it has
produced its kind, and a new cycle, "from
seed te seed," has been completed.
Could some angel number for us this
new cycle, telling us, beyond all doubt or
question, hew often the cycle from seed
te seed in this or that particular plant had
been accomplished since the parent seed
of all sprouted and grew, what a revela
tion it would be for the student of plant
life what ajens of ages would be present
ed for his contemplation !
Many plants again have the embryo
much mere delicate in structure than in
the case of these just named, the fruit
supply being laid up around the embryo
and net within it. This substance is
knew as the albumen of the seed, the
structure of the eggs of animals suggest
ing this term te the elder botanists. It is
the albumen which is the mealy portion of
the seed and which forms the principal
part of the grain of wheat, rye, corn, eats,
etc. Albumen, by the way, abounds
chiefly in plants having but one cotyle
don. Frem these facts, it will be seen that
seeds may readily be divided into two
classes, Albumineus and ex-albumineus. The
bean, the apple, and the pear, are conspic
uous examples of the latter class, the em
bryo being large and including everything
within the integuments, while the seed of
the buttercup lias a very minute embryo,
and is nearly all albumen, it being for its
size a warehouse of nourishment. The
seeds of the tulip . are also albumineus.
The embryo of the buttercup needs a geed
glass for its examination, but even at this
stage it shows the rudimentary cotyledons.
The albumen of the nutmeg, whose coty
ledons also are very small is noted for its
peculiar appearance and strong aromatic
quality.
Dispersion of Seed..
The contrivances for dispersing seeds
while they are admirable, are, at the same
time innumerable. Design is everywhere
apparent in the economy of nature, but it
is displayed in few directions mero strik
ingly than in the dispersion of seeds. In
the structure of the seed-pod and in the
appendages of the seed itself we are at
times startled at the simplicity of the plan
and the perfect adaptation of the means te
the end. Here the elastic pod casts its
seeds te a considerable distance; there
the light pappus, as in the case of the dan
delion, and ethers of the compound
flowers, gees floating through the air
bearing its achenium afar. Seme have
hairs, or awns, or teeth, by which they at
tach themselves te whatever comes into
contact with tliem ; ethers arc inclesed in
a little balloon ; still ethers are winged, as
in the familiar maple, pine and ash. Des
titute of these means of dispersion seeds
innumerable must fall about the parent
stem and perish.
But these are net the only means of dis
persion that has been provided. Linuams
says : " Seeds embark upon rivers which
descend the highest mountains, arrive in
the midst of plains and upon the coasts of
seas. The ocean has thrown even upon
the coasts of Norway, borne thither by the
Uuli stream, thenutseftr.e mahogany and
the fruits of the cocoa palm, and the won
derful voyage has been performed without
injury te their vital energy.
Animals have their part also te perform.
It is said that the Indians believe the
squirrel te have planted all the timber in
this country. The most effective of all
agencies, however, in the general distribu
tion of plants has been man himself
through the avenues of commerce.
Size of Seed, their Vitality, etc.
As te the size of seeds, this varies from
the cocoanut, the pride of the palm, te
such as arc se small that they resemble
fine dust.
As te their vitality, sometimes it is seen lest
but in many cases it may be retained for a
very long period. It has been frequently
observed that when trenches have been
dug, or the ground from several feet be
low the surface has been exposed te the
sunlight and the rain, new species of plants,
net before known in the locality, have
sprung up, showing marvelleus longevity
in the vital principle of the seed.
Dr. Lindlcy. the botanist, tells of rasp
berry seeds found in a Celtic tomb, which
germinated 1,700 years after the plant had
perished which matured them . Raspberry
seeds have been taken out of jam, after it
has been boiled, which grew when sewn in
the earth. All seeds have net this power.
These containing albumen would be de
stroyed by boiling and of course could net
sprout afterwaids. Seeds of heliotrope
found in a Reman tomb of the second or
third century of the Christian era have
borne fruit. We have all heard of some
grains of wheat found in a mummy case,
supposed te have been mero than 2,000
years old. The story gees that they were
taken te England and planted, where they
sprouted, and produced an abundant yield
of the branching kind of wheat common in
Egypt.
Age or riant and Trees.
As te the age attained by plants that grew
from seed : Seme live a few weeks ; annu
als one season, dying of old age as seen
as the new seeds are lipened ; some are bi
ennials as the beet and the cabbage ; ethers
again survive for still longer periods, until
wc reach the trees, certain of which retain
their vitality for centuries. The olive may
attain the age of 300 years, the English oak
(500 years, the chestnut has been known te
live 900 years ; individual cedars of Leb
anon have been described by travelers for
for the past three hunched years, since
1395, at which date the largest greve con
sisted of twenty-four trees; the giant
pines of California are rated at mere than
2,000 years, and the banyans of India are
supposed te attain still greater age.
Seed Production.
The number of seeds in different plants
varies immensely. Seme have a single
seed, as the peach, and stone fruits gener
ally ; ethers have two seeds, ethers three,
four, five, and from this te thousands. A
stalk of Indian corn is said te have pro
duced in a single season 2,000 seeds. A
single thistle, it is estimated, may pro
duce 24,000, and if each of these should de
as well as the parent seed, the second year
would see 576,000,000 matured! The
peppy is said te produce 30,000 in a single
head.
The botanist Ray estimated the number
of seeds from a single tobacco plant at
300,000, while the elm-tree may produce
half a million. Yet these seem unproduc
tive when compared with the number en
closed in the capsules of the mess or in the
leaves of a fern. Pief Lindlcy tell of the
hart's tongue a small fern, that each frond
produces about 80 seri, or fruit clusters,
with an average of 4,500 spore cases in
each cluster, each spore case containing
some 50 spores making a total of 18,000,
000 spores te each fend.
Se prodigious is the aggregate of seeds
matured each year that, if all were te
fructify and develop into plants, natural
ists tell us, it would require a thousand
times the present surface of the earth te
afford the necessary room for the growth
of one !
On the ether hand, if the seeds of plants
were for a twelve-month te fail of being
perfected, or of germination, we should
lese all our annuals, wheat, rye, eats, bar
ley, corn, millet, rice, upon the product of
which single plant 300,000,000 of the hu
man race subsist te say nothing of the
thousands of plants that con
tribute yearly te man's sustenance
and enjoyment, and almost universal star
vation would ensue. In another year our
few biennials would be gene and suppos
ing the conditions of heat and meistuie te
remain as new nothing would be left but
the fruit of the trees, an insignificant part
of the aggregate of seeds, and fruits ma
tured for man s support. In all this, we
take no acoeunt of iess of beauty and
fragrance which, with each lecurring
springtime, restore te man odors and
glimpses of that far-off Paradise from
which the flaming sword drove forth our
disobedient ancestors.
Economic Uses of Seeds.
Seeds contribute very largely te the ne
cessities and convenience of man. A great
part of the human race live en bread made
of wheat, rye, or corn. In Northern Eu
rope eats is a staple feed product. In In
dia the native races live en rice. Buck
wheat, millet, peas and beans are also used
te a large extent. Other seeds are in fa
vor as condiments. Coffee and chocolate
furnish decoctions for drinking. The seeds
of the chocolate tree the fruit sometimes
containing as many as thirty seeds are
ground and made into the cocoa, chocolate
and brema of commerce. The seeds of the
flax are full of oil ; after this has been ex
pressed the farinaceous matter is largely
used as feed for cattle. The seed of the
walnut has half its weight of oil ;
that of strychnine furnishes one of
the most powerful medicines and
poisons ; ether seeds, from their
soapy nature, are used for purposes of
washing by the natives of the countries
where these trees grew. Thus as feed, as
medicine, and for manifold ether uses,
seeds play an essential part in the economy
ef.the world.
A Sewer Went Ferth te Sew."
We knew the story en the surface as in
the deeper significance of the parable
hew that seed fell by the wayside, en stony
ground, in fertile soil. What figure is mere
familiar than the sewer in any land where
men must plant that they may gather ?
Ten thousand times in every generation of
the past, he has gene forth " te sew,"
thoughtful only of bread for the eater, or
carnered crain, or money store from the
harvest te come. Ignorant as his oxen of
the marvelous structure of the seed, and
no mere impressed than they with the
mystery of plant growth, like a ma
chine, age after age he has scattered
the wealth of the golden grain and seen it
fall and die, and from it spring forth first
the blade, then the ear. then the fall corn
in the ear, and asked no questions that
science would one day answer, dreamed no
dreams that science would one day prove
te be verities. Te him for untold ages, in
this department of nature, "wonder" has
never been " the seed of knowledge."
But a new leaven has of late been at
work in the world, and the times grew
better. Slowly the heavy cloud of stolid
indifforence will lift, is lifting. This ani
mal repose of intellect is giving place te
mental activity that pushes inquiry into
every department of nature, and with re
sults se marvelous as te seem little short of
the miraculous. Man is waking mere and
mere te the wants of his higher nature.
Slowly the great thought dawns upon the
race that the world about us is a museum
of wonders which ages of studious life
cannot exhaust ; that it is a paradise of
beauty which anjjels might for ages enjoy.
And as his thought grows mere active, his
attention mere alert, his sensibilities mere
acute, he sees and feels yet mero and mere
the purpose and the presence of the Great
Designer, who
Scorns net the least of all His works, much
less ! ,
Man, made in Ills image, destined te exist
When e'en veu brilliant worlds shall cease te.
Then hew should man, rejoicing in his Ged,
Delight in Ills perfection, shadowed forth
In every little flower and biade of grass!
Each opening bud, and care-perfected seed,
Is as a page where we may read of Ged.
DRY HOODS.
CHEAP CARPETS
FROM AUCTION.
Opened tills day Lets el
CHEAP CARPETS,
ALSO
Wlite.GM&FvIalis,
AT
FAOESTOCK'S,
Next Doer te the Court Beese.
rXXlin TO THE LADIES!
Just received a Fine Line of
DRY GOODS,
Philip Schnm, Sen & Ce.'s,
38 &40 WEST KING STREETS.
Having added In connection with our Large
Stock or Carpets, Yarns, Ac., A FINE LINE OF
DUY GOODS, such as CALICOES, BLEACH
ED AND UNBLEACHKD MUSLINS, TICK
INGS, COTTON FLANNELS. CAbllMEUKS,
ULACK ALl'ACAS. SHEETINGS, NEW
STYLE OF SHIRTING, NEW STYLE DKESS
GOODS, TABLE LINENS. NAPKINS,
TOWELS, Ac, which we are selling at
MODERATE Pit ICES.
m4-3md
NOVELTIES
SILKS
DRESS GOODS!
We have new open our Importations of New
Silk from Lyens, including
Brocaded Satin De Lyens,
Solid Celer Satin De Lyens,
Black Satin Be Lyens,
Luisine in New Colorings and Styles,
RICH BROCADES,
In Celers te match the New Dress Goods.
In Dress Goods, a Great Variety of
New Textures, such as
SHOODA CLOTHS,
IN THE NEW SHADES.
Beautiful Silk and Weel Fancies
te Match Plain Cleths, Plain
Canten Crapes in all Celers,
and n number of New Things impossible te
spccily.
ONE FACT
we wish te emphasize. Se far, the advance en
our goods amounts te nothing, and a strict in
spection of our stock will show that at all
times we are as low in prices aa any, and ettcn
lower. A close examination of our goods is
cordially invited.
1412 and 1114 Chestnut Street,
aprlC-M.WAF
PHILADELPHIA.
ATTORXEYS-AT-ZA W
HENBT A. KILET
Attorney and Counseller-t-Iir
21 Park Bew. New Yerk.
Collections made In all parts of the United
States, and a general legal business transacted.
Mien ey penmaara vm eteian m i
Hemer, Gellaaar & Ce.,
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