THE PARTS OF THE FLOWER 



arrangement (Fig. 7). It has one undivided pistil. This 



is the part that a fruit grower examines after a frost, for 



he knows that if the pistils are 



killed there will be no peaches. 



Notice that there are numerous 



stamens ; that there are five 



petals ; and that there are five 



sepals, grown together. 



Apple blossom. The apple 



blossom (Fig. 8) is very much 



like that of the peach, but its 



pistil is divided into five parts. 



Like the peach it has five 



petals and five sepals. 



In all the examples given 



above, there has been the same 



number of petals as of sepals. 



This is often true. 



Cotton flower. The cotton 



bloom is formed on the plan 



of fives (Fig. 9). There are 



five showy petals, and also five short sepals. These last 



are grown together and 

 form a shallow cup, 

 which incloses the base 

 of the boll. The three 

 large green parts that 

 form the square are not 

 sepals, but bracts, or 



leaf-like extra parts. You also find bracts around some 



Photo by R. 8. Mackintosh 



FIG. 7. PEACH BLOOMS 



FIG. 8. FLOWERS OF THE APPLE 





