TREFOILS. CLOVER. 197 



cies are of great value to fanners, as they afford 

 good pasture for cattle, and make excellent hay. 



EDWARD. 



I have often seen both purple and white clover; 

 but I do not think the flowers looked as if they were 

 butterfly-shaped. 



MOTHER. 



You probably took each head of clover for a 

 single flower; but if you examine one of the heads, 

 you will soon find that it consists of a great number 

 of small flowers; each of which has a little calyx of 

 its own, with a blossom as perfect as that of the 

 Lo'tus, and composed of a standard, two wings, 

 and a keel. But if you wish to see the stamens 

 and pistils distinctly, you must look at them through 

 your magnifying glass. 



EDWARD. 



How pretty the little flowers must be ! When I 

 go out to-day I will gather some clover, and exa- 

 mine it. Are the peas and beans, that we eat, 

 in this class, as well as the sweet-pea in the gar- 

 den? 



MOTHER. 



They are, my dear; and in the order Decandria 

 also: as are the Kidney-bean, Phase'olus vulga'- 

 ris ; the Vetch, Vicia ; wild Liquorice, Astrag'alus ; 

 o 3 



