166 FIRST STEPS IN GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. 



stork's-bill," lie added, "and from a similar 

 cause." 



" The geraniums of the greenhouse have seed- 

 vessels of that shape," said Mary ; " but they can- 

 not be related to the wild ones ; their flowers are 

 so different." 



" The arrangement or colours of petals are 

 seldom of much importance in tracing the family 

 connections of plants," said her father : " the form 

 of the seed-vessel is of much greater consequence 

 together with the general principle or quality 

 which runs through the tribe. The geraniums of 

 our conservatory* are near relations of the wild 

 flowers of that name, and all possess aromatic and 

 astringent qualities. These very handsome flowers 

 grow wild in abundance at the Cape of Good 

 Hope and in New Holland ; while the damper 

 parts of India swarm with beautiful species of the 

 neighbouring tribe of BALSAMS, and multitudes are 

 also found in Ceylon. Our little WOOD-SORREL -f- is 

 a member of a tribe which approaches these, and 

 is remarkable, especially in the tropical species, 

 for the presence of oxalic acid. But we have a 

 host of British flowers connected with the pinks 



* Pelargonium. t Oxalis acetosella. 



