66 
Its seedbox has five divisions. In fruit this seedbox 
tapers above into a long beak, which gives the plant 
its: name of “crane’s bill ~ When: tac 
fruit is quite ripe, it splits away from the 
central part of this beak in five separate 
pieces, which spring upward so suddenly 
that the seeds are jerked out of the five 
cells, and flung upon the earth at a dis- 
tance of several feet. The picture (Fig. 
73) shows you how this is done. But a 
little search through the summer woods 
will bring you to the plant itself; and if 
you are patient, perhaps you will see 
how the wild geranium gets rid of its 
peace children. But though this habit may at 
first seem to you somewhat unmotherly, if you stop to 
think about it you will see that really the parent plant 
is doing its best for its little ones. If they should fall 
directly upon the ground beneath, their chances in life 
would be few. About plants, as about people, you must 
not make up your minds too quickly. 
Another plant that all of you country children ought 
to know, is the touch-me-not, or jewelweed. Sometimes 
this is called ‘‘lady’s eardrop,” because its pretty, red- 
gold, jewel-like flowers remind us of the 
drops that once upon a time ladies wore 
in their ears. These flowers we find in 
summer in wet, woody places. In the 
fall the fruit appears... This fruit. 1s <a 
little pod (Fig. 74) which holds several seeds. When 
this pod is ripe, it bursts open and coils up with an 
