A CALENDAR OF SEED DISPERSAL 133 



Optional Study 5. A Calendar of Seed Dispersal 



This study is intended to follow the class work of Study 8 

 (The November seed-crop, page 69), and to continue through 

 the second half of the fall term. A dozen or more of the 

 species of plants found at that time holding a full crop of seeds 

 should be observed at least once a week during the remainder 

 of the term. Thus, nature's method of conserving the sup- 

 ply, and of distributing it according to the needs of her popu- 

 lation, may be seen. No great amount of time will be 

 required if plants near to one's daily route to and from work 

 be chosen. A specimen of each kind of seeds, inclosed in a 

 small envelope and labelled, may be handed in with the 

 record of this study, if desired, for greater certainty of 

 determinations. The observations may conveniently be 

 recorded in a table prepared with the following column 

 headings: 



Name (consult an instructor if you do not know the plant) . 



Kind of plant (tall herb, low herb, vine, trailer, etc.). 



Seed cluster (illustrate by a simple diagram). 



manner (seeds lost singly, in pairs, in clusters, 

 Seed 

 dispersal 



etc.) 

 agency (wind, water, animals, plant auto- 



matism, etc.) 



seeds first out. 



Date of <{ maximum dispersal 

 final dispersal. 



Remarks 



An additional optional study may be allowed to any 

 student who desires to acquaint himself further with the 

 local trees, by repeating Study 9 as an individual exercise 

 with an entirely new list of tree species. 



