i6 



THE NATURE BOOK 





LESSER CELANDINE. 



Special knowledge is required, it must be 

 sought for in one of the many handbooks 

 to the British flora. Their object is to 

 point out any special feature which may 

 assist in the identification, and to set 

 before the reader any facts of interest 

 which may be seen in the growing plant 

 or which pertain to it, such as the ex- 

 planation of a peculiarly shaped flower or 

 leaf, the origin of its name and so on. 



One of the most fascinating studies in 

 plant life is that of fertilisation. Each 

 blossom appears to have been gradually 

 brought into its special shape with a view 

 of securing, in the best manner possible, 

 the transference of the yellow dust (the 

 pollen) from the male ])ortions, the 

 stamens, to the female organ, the pistil. 



But Nature abhors 

 self-fertilisation — that 

 is, the act of fertilising 

 a flower with its own 

 pollen ; many and 

 varied are the means 

 by which this is either 

 wholly or partly pre- 

 vented. Insects of all 

 kinds are called in to 

 assist, special precau- 

 tions being often taken 

 to keep out unwelcome 

 guests ; w^hilst the 

 colours, scents, and 

 the store of honey 

 all serve as attractions. 

 The brightly coloured 

 flowers are \'isited by 

 day-flying insects, bees 

 being among the most 

 welcome ; while the 

 night-blooming plants 

 are generally white 

 and very fragi'ant, 

 whereby moths are 

 attracted to them. 



Again, there are 

 many different ways 

 by which a plant is 

 able to disperse its 

 seed ; in some cases, 

 as in the Dandelion, a 

 light, feathery pappus 

 or down is attached to 

 each seed, so that the 

 wind will catch it 

 and blow it away 

 until it at last finds a rest in what may 

 be a favourable spot for germination. In 

 other cases some mechanical explosive 

 device is adopted, the walls of the seed 

 vessel, as it ripens, being drawn together 

 under great tension, and then, when the 

 state of the atmosphere is most favour- 

 able, the explosion suddenly takes place, 

 and the seeds are shot out in all direc- 

 tions. 



Features of this sort will l)e mentioned 

 and briefly explained, in the hope that 

 the reader will turn his attention to these 

 little details and verify them for himself. 

 To all those who will try to unravel the 

 secrets of the plants, I can promise the 

 gradual unfolding of a wonderful world ; 

 mysteries, hidden to the uninitiated, will 





