52 Field, Forest, and Wayside Flowers 



half an inch long, composed of many hairy, green 

 pistils, each partially covered with a scale. 



These scales, like those on the far prettier 

 staminate catkin, are fringed with silky hairs, and 

 have been making themselves very useful earlier 

 in the season. 



Now they are separated by the lengthening of 

 the catkin, but in the bud they lay so close 

 together as to overlap, and their fringes made a 

 soft, warm fur, which protected the young stamens 

 or pistils from the frost. 



The pistillate tassels of the poplar grow in 

 clusters, usually on the tips of the branches and 

 twigs. In this position of vantage each green pistil 

 waits for the breeze to bring it pollen from the 

 catkins of the stamen-bearing trees. As soon as 

 the vitalizing dust is received the pistils begin to 

 grow. In a few days, if the weather is bright 

 and breezy, the insignificance of their earliest 

 youth is a thing of the past. 



The tassels lengthen, and become so vividly 

 green that they are noticeable not only on the 

 branches, but in the landscape. In the yet color- 

 less world the trees stand forth clothed all in liv- 

 ing green, as if they had burst into luxuriant leaf. 

 But the leaves are still fast asleep, and tucked 



