152 HANDBOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



of the flowers are devoid of any conspicuous colors and of 

 fragrance, and people who are careless observers often fail 

 to find them, or to recognize the flowers as such. As these 

 inconspicuous flowers are not adapted to attract insects, of 

 which, moreover, very few are found at this time, they must 

 depend on the wind for the scattering and carrying of their 

 pollen, and that they are excellently adapted to wind-ferti- 

 lization we must at once acknowledge. The sterile flowers, 

 containing the pollen, are produced in enormous numbers; 

 the pollen is fine and is easily shaken from the long hang- 

 ing catkins or the protruded stamens. If, however, the 

 flowers did not come until late in the summer, most of the 

 pollen would fall on the large leaves, and the chances for 

 its reaching the stigmas of the fertile flowers would be much 

 reduced. Study the foregoing very carefully, and determine 

 for yourself by observation how much of it applies to the 

 different tree flowers which you have studied. Does it ap- 

 ply to the linden flowers at all ? Are they inconspicuous 

 and not fragrant ? Are they visited by insects, or are they 

 wind-fertilized ? How much later do they appear than the 

 flowers of maples, birches, and elms ? On what trees and 

 shrubs did you find most old birds' nests when you studied 

 the winter conditions of trees? Could you recognize any 

 of the nests ? Why is it so much more difficult to find the 

 new nests now ? 



We might begin at once now and study the fruits and 

 leaves of our trees also, but as many of these trees do not 

 mature their fruit until next fall, we will leave this work 

 until then ; but we must all carefully watch the growth of 

 the fruit and leaves. However, the boys tell me that the 

 poplars, the willows, the soft maple, and the elms have 

 large fruits now, and I will ask you to bring me these as 



Observations. Preserve some pine flowers in alcohol. 



