30 



NATURE STUDY 



form the aureoles of botli the Virgin and St. John, the 

 flowers turning toward the figure of Christ on the Cross 

 as toward their true sun. "The sunflowers not only 

 rejoice at the sight of the sun, but follow with loving 

 fidelity the attraction of its rays, gazing at it and turning 

 toward it from its rising to its setting," wrote St. Francis 



Sweet Clover. Day position, 



9 A.M. 



Sweet Clover. Sleep posi- 

 tion, 12.30 A.M. 



de Sales, an observation and sentiment repeated by 

 Moore when he sang, 



" The sunflower turns on her god when he sets 

 The same look which she turned when he rose." 



As a matter of fact, this following of the sun is much 

 less exact than the poets would have us believe, and is 

 undoubtedly, as in other flowers, due to the necessity of 

 protecting the nectar, as well as the organs of reproduc- 

 tion from the dangers of the night, chief of which are 

 cold and dew. The leaves of the sunflower, too, like 

 those of peas, wistaria, jewel weed, cabbage, and many 

 others, have sleep movements. 



These movements may be observed to a limited extent 



