28 



TALKS AFIELD. 



eastern United States. A reference to Fisr. 

 32 will show liow they differ 

 from true mosses : the fruit 

 is borne in a peculiar spike, 

 which is made up of many 

 spore cases. The Horse 

 Tails are often known as 

 scouring rushes, from the 

 use to which they 

 are put on ac- 

 count of the great 

 quantity of silex 

 contained in their 

 stalks. They are ^'S-^^- 

 odd-looking plants, 

 readily recognized by a reference to Fig. 33. 

 In former ages plants similar to these at- 

 tained to the size of trees. 



Having taken a cursorj^ glance at the 

 flowerless plants, we will now turn our atten- 

 tion to 



Fig. 32. 



