The Ottawa Naturalist. [June 



to the insect for its valuable service to the flower ? What happens 

 to any particular flower which entertains no insect guest .'' 



The dependence of flower upon insect and the co-relation of 

 the individual and its environment will surely teach a lesson as 

 applicable to human welfare as to vegetable. 



This little plant has settled the question of aerial navigation 

 for itself long before such questions agitated the Santos Dumonts 

 of the moder^. world . Its tiny seed is fitted out with sails which 

 bear itTpon the winds of summer, upon a voyage of exploration 

 and colonLtion. It settles down, making use of an anchor whose 

 simplicity is only equalled by its adaptibihty to its purpose. _ 



The question of economy of material has likewise been carried 

 to perfection, quite up to modern ideas upon the subiect It has 

 been bund tLt in ocean vessels carrying large masts less iron 

 may be used if the masts are hollow. Greater strength is given 

 Toft'e same amount of material. This common every-day flowe 

 long ago raised its head of florets upon a stem bu.lt upon the 

 most recently improved pattern. . 



What place does the Dandelion occupy among flow-ering 

 Dlants ^ A comparative study will show that its flower cluster is 

 a Siy organized one. It stands almost at the head of flower 

 clu fers and^vould seem to be one of Nature's latest productions 

 This maybe learned by observation and -mpanson o flow r 

 clusters. The simplest clusters are such as those ot the Pyrola 

 and the Shepherd's purse. In these the flowers h^ve stalks all of 

 nefrly the same length, and the earliest flowers to b com a h 

 lowest. If these stalks were lengthened so as to bring all the 

 fl^o^^^r's to the same level, we would have the flat-topped clu er 

 such as that of ihe Hawthorn. In such a clus er the earliest 

 flowers to bloom are the outermost. If in such a cluster we vvere 

 S to shorten the common stem upon which the individua 



:rk's I'ltll ^flt-:?r r to' have .t rest immediately on the top 



li^^n" Thii Tz z:t^^^^j:i^^^'P^^^^^ 



fhTs the efore, and remembering also the very g-at departure of 

 ^ach floret from the structure of such a simple flower as the 

 Ruttercup for instance, we are compelled to believe that the 

 Dandelion occupies, not the most exalted, perhaps, but a very 

 hip-h olace in the commonwealth of flowers. 



^ These are some of the problems which challenge fhe attention 

 of the student. Here he finds abundance of material for sensory 

 ?ra n n J, and at the same time is confronted by questions the 

 solution of which will require his best thought and reflection. 



