পাতা:পদার্থবিদ্যাসার.djvu/১৬৩

152: by a thin skin. Others standin order together, as in the sun-flower. Does it not appear to you astonishing, that such great plants as trees should arise from such small seeds Pup. lt does indeed.—But does mot one plant or tree produce many seeds in one season? Tut. This is very various:–in some more, in others less. A tobacco plant has been known to produce more than 40,000 seeds; an elim more than three hun. dred thousand annually. Pup. And why suclu am amazing number ? Tut. Hereby is a great provision inade for the fowls of the air. If they were once all consumed, which might easily be the case, how could we ever recover them again, if there were not such a great increase? Admire this display of divine power, wisdom, and goodness. For without such a provision, the birds must half of them perish. Food, in that form and small compass, can more easily be preserved for their winter food. Pup. How do the seeds come out of the pod 2 Tut. In dry weather, when the pods are withered, they open, and the seeds being dry, they easily sail out upon the ground; and those seeds which are not gathered sink juto the earth, with the rain. Pup. What becomes of the lighter seeds? Tut. They are, as we have seen, carried about by the wind, and fall when the wind ceases. For this reason, we see plants upon high old walls and towers; because seeds'falling between the crevices of the stones, often grow; Birds also, in carrying, them, may frequently let them fall in their flight. And besides this,