CHAPTER XVII 

 THE OFFICE OF FLOWERS 



163. We have already mentioned some of the con- 

 ditions that promote the free formation of flowers. We 

 might call it the conditions necessary for fruitfulness, 

 for the flower is only a step in the formation of the fruit 

 and seeds. Some plants are cultivated only for their 

 leaves, stems or roots as cabbages, lumber trees, or pota- 

 toes. Most plants, however, owe their value to the crop 

 of seed or fruit which they bear. In the latter class, in- 

 cluding the fruits and grains, it is not only necessary that 

 the flowers be formed, but that they should form seed 

 abundantly. They must "set seed," as the farmer says. 

 To understand this process, we must know more about 

 the structure and the use of the different parts of a 

 flower. 



164. Structure of Flowers. Flowers are very varied in 

 their form, size, and in the arrangement of their parts. 

 If we should closely examine a flower of a peach or a 

 geranium, to take familiar examples, we will find that it 

 has several parts, each of which contributes some service 

 to the success of the plant's effort to form seed. We 

 have already learned that a seed is usually an embryo 

 plant, with a store of reserve food, both inclosed in a 

 protecting case called the seed coat. 



165. The Names of the Parts. We must learn the parts 

 of a flower and their names. We first notice the brightly 

 colored petals. They attract our attention and that of 

 the bee also. The bee long ago learned to recognize 



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