406 NATURE STUDY. 



Recall what they learned about the parts of the butter- 

 cup flower. 



Draw a picture of the apple blossom ; of its green cup, or 

 calyx, with the five teeth around the edge ; its white or pink 

 crown, or corolla; its many thread-like stamens, growing 

 within and around the sides of the cup, and the seed-box in 

 the bottom of the calyx cup. 



Tell them how the beautiful corolla blew off, how the 

 cup and seed-box kept growing larger with thicker and 

 thicker walls ; how they pushed up the five teeth and the 

 hair-like stamens until the little green apple was formed, 

 with the calyx teeth and stamens making its eye, as we 

 can see even in the ripe apple. So in this plant the calyx 

 not only covers up the other parts of the flower when in 

 bud, but helps to make, and forms part of, the fruit. 



As long as the seeds were green the apple was sour and 

 hard, so that nothing except foolish children would eat 

 it. When the seeds were ripe, the apple became soft, and 

 pleasant to the taste. Why ? The bright color also serves 

 to attract people and animals, who eat it, and aid in scatter- 

 ing the seeds. 



Step II. The Work of the Tree. 



How the roots worked all summer to get food and water 

 to make these seeds and ripen this apple. 



How the leaves worked. How much they did to beautify 

 the tree, giving it its green color, contrasting with branches 

 and sky and flowers and fruit. How they covered the 

 flowers, the buds, and the young apples. How they took 

 food from the air, and made everything which gives the 

 apple its pleasant taste. How they breathed, and threw 

 out water for the tree. 



How the trunk and branches and stem of the apple 

 helped, carrying the food from root and leaf to the bud 

 and flower and fruit. 



