124 TYPES OF BRITISH PLANTS 
Oats, these pales cling tightly to the seed and form the 
husk, which, as you know, takes a good deal of removing. 
In wheat, on the other hand, the husk falls away very 
readily and leaves the seed clean and bright. The 
stamens have long threads or filaments, and the anthers 
hang outside the flowers, as you may see in a wheat- 
field in May or June. The pistils have only one embryo 
seed at their base, and the stigma (the top of the pistil) 
is cleft into three parts, each being feathery, so as to 
catch the pollen when the wind blows it along, for, as 
these flowers contain no honey, insects have no tempta- 
tion to come to them and transfer the pollen. 
Let us, in imagination, watch the process of sending 
out the pollen from the stamens. When the anthers are 
fully ripe, the bracts open at a regular time in the day 
(with wheat this is about five or six in the morning), 
and the filaments of the stamens promptly grow at an 
astounding pace until they have put out their anthers 
well into the wind. At the same time the anthers split 
down the side, in order to allow the pollen to escape. 
But there is obviously a great danger to guard against. 
If the morning is perfectly calm, the pollen might simply 
slip down to the ground and be wasted, for the pistils and 
stamens on the same flowers do not ripen together. To 
avoid this, the lowest part of the anther curls round and 
takes the shape of a tiny spoon, into which the pollen 
falls. Then, when a breeze comes, the anther swings in 
the air and secures for its pollen at least a chance of 
doing its proper work. You will see at once how 
important is a good flowering time to the farmer. If 
there should be no wind at all, much pollen would be 
wasted, and if heavy showers should come for a long 
time, the pollen will be drowned out altogether. Against 
Lahde 
