168 THE SECOND BOOK OF BOTANY. 



when ? and how long does the foliage last ? * Can 

 you find young foliage upon old branches ? 



In the pine the inflorescence of the sterile flowers 

 is a kind of compound spike (Fig. 317). One of the 

 spikelets much magnified is shown in Fig. 318. Each 

 flower of this spikelet consists of a single stamen 



FIG. 817. 



only, and this stamen has a most peculiar structure. 

 Its filament is so short as to be scarcely discernible. 

 It is really a spikelet of anthers, and their connec- 

 tive. Remove a stamen, and examine its inner face. 



* To find whether evergreens shed their foliage, you have 

 only to watch the ground beneath them for fallen leaves. If 

 you find that their foliage does fall, and wish to learn hy obser- 

 vation how long it lasts, notice whether the twigs of the pres- 

 ent year keep their foliage all through the coming winter. If 

 they do, observe them again next summer, and if it is still 

 retained, watch them the third season, and so on. 



