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beuefit of some of my readers who are noCwell acquainted 



with the working of this 

 organ. This knowledge 

 is necessary to a correct 

 understanding of the ex- 

 periments, the results of 

 which are given in this 

 bulletin. The flower 

 consists of five separate 

 sets of organs. 1. An 

 outside green circle of 

 three leaves, called in- 

 volucre (see a fig. 1), the 

 leaflets of which are 

 united and heartshaped 

 at the base, deeply in- 

 cised, and remain in 

 contact with the boll 

 during its entire growth. 

 The peculiar shape of 

 these forms gives the name "square" to the young buds. 

 2. An inner circle of cup shaped leaves, obtusely five 

 toothed, called calyx, the divisions of which are termed 

 sepals. These forms are not visible in the fig. 3. Just in- 

 side the calyx cup is another circle of leaves called corolla, 

 divided into five petals (see b fig. 1). The petals are gener- 

 ally of a delicate cream color when they first unfold from 

 the bud, but in a few hours they change to deep red, after 

 which they wither and fall ofi'. These outside circles 

 of leaves are termed the non-essential organs, because they 

 simply serve a secondary purpose in the development of the 

 seed — they are in fact the protecting organs for the delicate 

 germ. 4. The next set of organs is called stamens; they are 

 found crowded in large numbers around, and growing upon, 

 the pistil (see a fig. 2). These stamens produce the male 

 function, called pollen, Avhicli has the appearance, to the un- 

 assisted eye, of a mass of fine yellow powder. A grain has 

 been greatly enlarged in fig. 3. Without the presence of 



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