I 3 6 



ROUND THE YEAR 



a common hedge-row flower in April or May. It 

 bears five, small, greenish flowers on one flower-stalk. 

 Many young naturalists have gathered these clustered 

 cups, and have wondered to see that the side-flowers 

 are differently made from the single flower at the top. 

 Each side-flower is five-pointed, 

 bearing five petals, ten stamens, 

 and five carpels. But the top 

 flower is four-pointed, and has 

 only four petals, eight stamens, 

 and four carpels. Why this 

 difference? We will suppose 

 that the number of the flowers 

 in the head is determined by 

 causes not known to us, and that 

 five has proved to be the most 

 convenient number. We will 

 also take it for granted that the 

 arrangement of the five flowers 

 into a compact head is bene- 

 ficial to the Muscatel, though 

 the reason is not known to me 

 at least. Then the necessity 

 for neat packing in the bud 

 requires that the side-flowers 

 shall be five-pointed, and the 

 top flower four-pointed. The 

 whole head is of nearly globular shape, with six faces 

 regularly placed all round. Each flower occupies one 

 face, the sixth and bottom one being wanted for the 

 flower-stalk. Take an apple, and cut it square by 

 paring off the sides. We shall get four vertical faces, 



FIG. 45. Flowers of 

 chatel, a, uppermost flower 

 />, ditto, seen from beneath ; 

 c, lateral flower, 

 beneath. 



from 



