THE NASTURTIUM 143 



were he to come upon it. The points in which the 

 children will be interested are these : 



(a) The variety in colors of the different flowers, 

 the variety in one blossom, the markings of the petals. 

 Out-of-door study: What besides people does the 

 color attract? (Bees and humming birds.) Notice 

 what these do when they come to the flowers. Find 

 what it is they are seeking in the heart of the flower. 

 (The juice in the long sac.) We call that the 

 nectar. Taste of it. How do you like it? See if 

 the sac is full. How can the humming bird reach 

 it ? the bee ? Watch a bee as it leaves a flower. 

 What is it carrying away? (Yellow dust.) On 

 what part of its body does it carry it? From what 

 did it come? Where does the bee go on leaving 

 this blossom? Watch to see. 



Notice in what direction the lines on the petals 

 extend. Can you think of any reason for this ? 

 (They show the bees the way to the nectar.) 



(b) The shape of the petals. What reason can 

 you see for the broader upper petals? The over- 

 lapping of the edges of these petals? Of what 

 does it make you think? (The roof of a house.) 



(c) How the flower is held. Can you see any 

 reason why it is held so that it opens at the side 



