124 JBotans 



sustained without injury to the plant-world, because 

 the production of pollen grains is so enormous. 

 Many flowers produce three or four million grains of 

 pollen. Dandelions are saving of pollen, but even 

 they yield about half a million grains to each flower. 

 The Scotch fir produces so much i^ollen that it blows 

 from the tree like a cloud of smoke, or pale yellow 

 mist. 



There are some flowers where the pollen is sent to 

 the pistil in the same corolla. This is called self- 

 fertilization. Self-fertilization is the exception, not 

 the rule. Many flowers cannot produce any seed at 

 all without the aid of some especial insects. Thus 

 the red clover can only yield seed if visited by 

 humble bees, because these only have a feeding-tube 

 of the projDcr size and shape to bring them into con- 

 tact with the pollen. 



All flowers do not have bright corollas, nectar, and 

 jDcrfume to attract and reward their helpers in the 

 seed business. What of them ? What of those tiny, 

 fringe-like, delicatel3"-colored stamens and pistils 

 held in a small, pale, scentless scale, which make up 

 the flower of the grass ? What will the grass do 



while 



" The broom's betrothed to the bee ?" 



Many tree blossoms are in the same case. What 

 has the elm or the beech to reward or lure the bee ? 



