692 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



plant is kept warmer. When the fern commences to grow, it stretches up 

 and seems to lean over backward in its effort to be bigger. First the main 



stem, or rachis, loosens its 

 coil; but before this is com- 

 pleted, the pinnae, which 

 are coiled at right angles to 

 the main stem, begin to un- 

 fold; a little later the pin- 

 nules, which are folded at 

 right angles to the pinnae, 

 loosen and seem to stretch 

 and yawn before taking a 

 look at the world which 

 they have just entered; it 

 may be several days before 

 all signs of the complex coil- 

 ing disappear. The crosiers 

 of the bracken are queer look- 

 ing creatures, soon develop- 

 ing three claws which some 

 people say look like the 

 talons of an eagle; and so 

 intricate is the action of their 

 multitudinous spirals, that 

 to watch them unfolding im- 

 presses one as in the presence 

 of a miracle. 



LESSON CLXXV 

 How A FERN BUD UNFOLDS 

 Leading thought All of 

 the parts of the frond of a 

 fern are tightly folded spir- 

 ally within the bud, and 

 every lobe of every leaflet is also folded in a spiral. 



Method The bracken crosier is a most illuminating object for this 

 lesson, because it has so many divisions and is so large; it is also con- 

 venient, because it may be found in September. However, any fern bud 

 will do. The lesson may be best given in May when the woodland ferns 

 are starting. A fern root with its buds should be brought to the school- 

 room, where the process of unfolding may be watched at leisure. 



Observations i. Take a very young bud. How does it look? Do 

 you see any reason why ignorant people call these buds caterpillars ? Can 

 you see why they are popularly called "fiddle heads?" What is their true 

 name? How many turns of the coil can you count? What 1 'j the cover- 

 ing of the crosier? Do you think this cover is a protection? How is the 

 stem grooved to make the spiral compact? 



2. Take a crosier a little further advanced. How are its pinnae folded? 

 How is each pinnule of each pinna folded ? How is each lobe of a pinnule 

 folded? Is each smaller part coiled toward each larger part? 



Fiddle heads, or crosiers. Young ferns unfolding. 

 Photo by Verne Morton. 



