528 Handbook of Nature-Study 



3. Describe the three petals and the difference and likeness in their 

 form and color. What is the shape of the lower petal? Is there a hole 

 in this sac? Is there more than one hole leading into it? What is the 

 color of the sac? Is there anything about it to attract insects? If an 

 insect should enter the mouth of the well in the lower petal could it easily 

 come out by the same opening? Why not? Where do you think it 

 would emerge ? 



4. Note the two roundish objects projecting into the two openings of 

 the sac near the stem. Thrust a pencil against the under side of one of 

 these. What happens? How does this pollen differ from the pollen of 

 ordinary flowers ? 



5. Cut away one side of the petal-sac and find the stigma. What 

 shape is it? Where is it situated with relation to the anthers? How is 

 the stigma protected above? W T here is the ovary, or seed-box? 



6. Explain how a bee visiting these flowers, one after another, must 

 carry the pollen from one to another and deposit it on the waiting stigmas. 



7. How is the insect attracted? How is it trapped and made to do 

 the work? 



8. Look at the seed-capsule and describe it from the outside. Cut it 

 across, and describe the arrangement of the seeds. How many sides of 

 the seed-capsule open, to let loose the seeds? 



9. How many species of lady's slippers do you know? Do you know 

 the pink, or stemless species? How does it differ from the yellow species 

 in the following particulars : The shape of the sac ; its color and mark- 

 ings; the length and shape of sepals; the number and position of the 

 leaves. 



THE COMMON BUTTERCUP 



Teacher's Story 



"The buttercups, bright-eyed and bold, 

 Held up their chalices of gold 

 To catch the siinshine and the dew." 



Buttercups and daisies are always associated in the minds of the 

 children, because they grow in the same fields; yet the two are so widely 

 different in structure that they may reveal to the child something of the 

 marvelous differences between common flowers; for the buttercup is a 

 single flower, while the single daisy is a large family of flowers. 



The buttercup sepals are five elongated cups, about one-half as long as 

 the petals; they are pale yellow with brownish tips, but in the globular 

 buds, they are green. The petals are normally five in number, but have 

 a tendency to double, so that often there are six or more; the petals are 

 pale beneath, but on the inside they are most brilliant yellow, and shine as 

 if varnished. Probably it is due to this luminous color that one child is 

 able to determine whether another likes butter or not, by noting when the 

 flower is held beneath the chin, if it makes a yellow reflection ; it would be 

 a sodden complexion indeed that would not reflect yellow under this 

 provocation. Each petal is wedge-shaped, and its broad outer edge is 

 curved so as to help make a cup-like flower; if a fallen petal be examined, 

 a tiny scale will be found at its base, as if its point had been folded back a 



