598 Haiidbook of Nature-Study 



3. Describe the leaves. How are they folded in their overcoats? 

 What color are they where they have pushed out above their overcoats? 

 What color are they within the overcoats ? Why ? 



4. Do the flowers or the leaves have stems, or do they arise directly 

 from the bulb ? 



5. What is the shape of the open crocus flower? Can you tell the 

 difference between sepals and petals in color? Can you tell the difference 

 by their position? Or by their texture above or below? As you look 

 into the flower, which make the points of the triangle, the sepals or the 

 petals? 



6. Describe the anthers. How long are they? How many are there? 

 How do they open? What is the color of the pollen? Describe how a bee 

 becomes dusted with pollen ? Why does the bee visit the crocus blossom ? 

 If she finds nectar there, where is it? 



7. Describe the stigma. s Open a flower and see how long the style is? 

 How do the sepals and petals unite to protect the style? Where is the 

 seed-box? Is it so far down that it is below ground? How many seeds 

 are developed from a single blossom? 



8. How many colors do you find in the crocus flowers? Which are 

 the prettiest in the lawn? Which, in the flower beds? 



9. How do the crocus blossoms act in dark and stormy weather? 

 W T hen do they open? How does this benefit them? 



10. How do the crocus bulbs multiply? Why do they lift themselves 

 out of the ground and thus need resetting. 



11. Describe how to raise crocuses best; the kind of soil, the time of 

 planting, and the best situations. 



Out of the frozen earth below, 

 Out of the melting of the snow, 



No flower, but a film, I push to light; 

 No stem, no bud yet I have burst 

 The bars of winter, I am the first 



Sun, to greet thee out of the night! 



Deep in the warm sleep underground 



Life is still, and the peace profound: 



Yet a beam that pierced, and a thrill that smote 



Call'd me and drew me from far away; 



I rose, I came, to the open day 



1 hare won, unshelter'd, alone, remote. 



"THE CROCUS," BY HARRIET E. H. KING. 



When first the crocus thrusts its point of gold, 

 Up through the still snow-drifted garden-mould, 

 And folded green things in dim woods unclose 

 Their crinkled spears, a sudden tremor goes 

 Into my reins and makes me kith and kin 

 To every wild-born thing that thrills and blows. 



"A TOUCH OF NATURE," BY T. D. ALDRICH. 



