10Q STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



becomes a seed, and then a plant. These powder- 

 puffs are of as many shapes and fashions as the 

 flower itself. The coloured petals of the flowers 

 may be different in shape, of one piece or many, 

 large or small, or lacking altogether; but if the 

 basket of seed-germs and the life-dust is there, 

 then it is a flower. 



"The oak bears acorns, though its flowers are\ 

 but dingy feathers; the birch's brown tassels^ 

 from which the golden dust blows are as much 

 its flowers as the sweet rosy clusters on the apple 

 tree." 



" But, dear Ruby-throat, if every flower grows 

 its own life-dust, why do they have messengers 

 to carry it to and fro ? Why must they buy and 

 sell?" 



" This is the reason, Tommy- Anne. Even if a 

 flower grows the life-dust, it may not grow it for 

 itself alone, and some plants have blossoms where 

 the seed basket is in one flower and the dust in 

 another ; then how could the dust and the basket 

 meet without a special messenger ? " 



" I can understand that ; but this rose has both 

 dust and basket in the same blossom." 



"The rose and many others can supply them- 

 selves, and usually do so, but oftentimes the dust 

 on a flower may not be ripe when the seed -germ 



