LESSONS WITH PLANTS 



3 2 9 



Later in the summer, grasses should be studied. It will 

 be seen that here also the wind is the chief agent in pollina- 

 tion. 



Have the children realize that trees, grasses, and weeds 

 are also "flowers." 



In grammar grades still more may be done with the study 



of flowers and r .. 



pollination. Pe- 

 culiar modifica- 

 tions of flower 

 structure to en- 

 sure cross-polli- 

 nation should be 

 considered, such 

 as the lady's- 

 slipper, Jack-in- 

 the- pulpit, and 

 other flowers. 

 Here we can re- 

 fer to the pur- 

 pose of cross- 

 pollination; namely, that by it rather than by self-pollination 

 larger and better seed, and consequently better and stronger 

 offspring, are produced. Most plants seem to try to effect 

 cross-pollination, while many, like the plants that have only 

 stamens or only pistils in a flower, make self-pollination 

 impossible. 



Let the pupils try some experiments in pollinating flowers by 

 hand . With a small water-color brush or a feather take off some 

 pollen from a flower and transfer it to another flower of the 

 same kind. Pollinate in this way differently colored varieties 



FIG. 128. 



Pistillate and Staminate Flowers from Separate 

 Boxelder Trees. 



