8 4 



IRambles witb mature Students 



that is, the pollen of one blossom being placed on 

 the stigma of another. 



In the gladiolus the stamens are differently 

 arranged, and the bee is required to enter below 

 instead of above the stamens ; there are therefore 

 three honey guides on the lower petals, and the bee, 

 all unconsciously, bears a load of pollen on its back, 



and performs its 

 useful office of 

 fertiliser to each 

 flower in succes- 

 sion. 



In the iris the 

 lower petal is 

 usually covered 

 with a rich pat- 

 tern of coloured 

 stripes, which all 

 lead up to the 

 narrow passage 

 where the bee 

 must enter and 

 push its way, 

 necessarily brush- 

 ing pollen off the 

 anther in its pro- 

 gress to reach the honey at the base of the petal ; 

 as it enters the next flower, it cannot fail to leave 

 the pollen on the stigma at the entrance; and this 

 wonderful contrivance can be traced in the delicate 

 stripes of the wood-sorrel and very many other flowers, 

 where distinct way-marks are afforded to guide the 

 bees in their most useful work of fertilisation. It 

 adds an interest to our walks to know that the infinitely 



GLADIOLUS. 



