76 FIRST STEPS IN GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. 



(twice three), arranged in two rows, one within 

 the other, three petals in each row. He also pointed 

 out six stamens, and then opened the seed-vessel, 

 which looked like a little green berry ; and there 

 Mary saw three distinct cells for holding the seed. 

 "A.s the spring flowers open," said her father, 

 "take notice how many have the number three 

 conspicuous. You will find that lilies of the 

 valley, although they have but one petal to make 

 up their delicate, cup-shaped flower, yet have 

 this cup divided at its edges into six (twice three) 

 segments, enclosing six stamens, while the seed- 

 vessel has also three cells. The same is the case 

 with the hyacinth. In the tulip and narcissus 

 you will find the petals six, stamens six, and cells 

 of the capsule three. Thus you may go on with 

 numerous examples, and I would gladly see you 

 gaining this sort of general knowledge of endogens, 

 before you puzzle yourselves with the difficult 

 words which are necessary to express their botanical 

 characters." 



