546 



Home Nature-Study Course. 



Explain that this habit is one of the reasons for the thick growth of foliage. Each 

 blossom-spike stands erect as a candle-flame and the flowers are arranged spirally 

 around its stalk. They are creamy white or tinged with pink, and have yellow and 

 purple blotches in their throats. The calyx is five-cleft and it and its pedicel are 

 covered with a soft dress of shortest, finest hair. Five spreading and unequal 

 petals are raised on short claw-s to form the corolla, and seven stamens with orange- 

 colored anthers are thrust well beyond their ruftled borders. Not all the flowers 

 have pistils and many that do are imperfect. i\Iost of the pistillate flowers are 

 near the bottom of the spike where the stem is stoutest and best able to bear the 

 weight of the heavy nut. The flowers are fragrant and are constantly visited by 

 bumble-bees, honey-bees and wasps. White flowers which are also fragrant are 

 usually attractive to night-flying moths. 



Fruits or seeds of the Iwrse'chestiiitt. 



LESSON XVIX. 

 THE FRUIT. 



Purpose. — To lead the pupil to think of the nut as containing the 

 seed of the tree and of it.s provision of food for the young seedling. 



Material. — Nuts in their husks for each pupil and for the teacher. 

 Observations by the pupils: 



1. \\diat is the shape of the nut in its burr? 



2. Into how many parts does the husk divide when it opens? 



3. Describe the husk; its outside: its lining. 



4. How many nuts are there usually in a burr? Describe their 

 shape, their color and markings. Which make the best "Conquerors," 

 those which grow singly in a burr, or twins? 



5. Open the nut. Can you find any division in the "meat"? How 

 does it taste? 



