FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS 53 



It takes the moon and all the stars, 

 It takes the might of heaven and hell, 

 And the everlasting love as well, 



Little child." l 



III " BUTTERCUPS AND DAISIES " 



Next we have to think about two or three more 

 such Orders or Families in the Kingdom of Plant-life. 



Suppose we begin with a Buttercup. If it is spring 

 or early summer, and if a field happens to lie near, 

 we may easily find one. In examining flowers a small 

 magnifying-glass is very helpful, though much can be 

 done without it. 



About half-way down the flower-stalk one or two 

 little leaves will be found, not unlike the other leaves, 

 only not so large, and these are called Bracts. Many 

 plants have no bracts. 



We shall see once more five small green sepals, 

 and five bright yellow petals, and many stamens; and 

 in the centre, growing up from a little cushion-like 

 receptacle, several pistils. In these points a Buttercup 

 is much like the flowers of the Rose Order. But there 

 are differences. 



The stamens of the Buttercup and of many other 

 plants belonging to the same Order grow from close 

 below the ovary, instead of, as with many of the Rose 

 Family, from around or above it. This may seem to 

 be a very slight matter, yet with it appears to go a 

 distinction which is far from slight. 



The plants belonging to the Rose Tribe manufacture 



1 This and other quotations from Mr. Alfred Noyes in this 

 volume are from his Collected Poems, published by William 

 Blackwood, and are used by permission. 



