60 FIRST STEPS IN GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. 



when the water is poured off, the white pasty mass 

 that remains is placed on clean white cloths in the 

 sun to dry. It is then fit for use, and will keep 

 for a very long time." 



"What is the plant like?" asked Kobert. 



" It is a handsome plant, with long and broad 

 leaves, of a very rich green. I will show you a 

 hot-house specimen on the first opportunity." 



The children were now told that they had 

 arrived at a very curious and remarkable race 

 of plants, different in many respects from other 

 tribes, but not the less interesting to botanists, or 

 even to common observers. 



"Do you remember," said their father, "the 

 odd-looking Bee-orchis we used to watch for so 

 eagerly every spring ? There were a few roots in 

 a corner of the orchard, but unfortunately they 

 have now died away." 



" Oh yes, papa," said Mary, " it looked exactly 

 like a bee settled on a flower." 



" One of the marks of the ORCHIS tribe, is the 

 very general enlargement, and often the very 

 curious shape and appearance, of one of the inner 

 rows of petals. In the bee-orchis it is quite dif- 

 ferent from all the other petals, being of a dark 



