142 NATURE TEACH FNG. 



out more apparatus than is at our disposal. 

 They will be found fully described and illus- 

 trated in most botanical text-books. The 

 final result of pollination is the fertilization of 

 the flower and only when this has happened 

 are seeds formed. Pollination, the actual plac- 

 ing of the pollen on the stigma and fertiliza- 

 tion resulting from this are two perfectly 

 separate processes and should be clearly dis- 

 tinguished. 



4. The other parts of a flower may be 

 naturally absent, or artificially removed, with- 

 out hindering the formation of fruit. They 

 are not essential. Stamens and pistil are 

 essential, for without them no seeds can be 

 formed. Not only too, must they be present 

 but unless the stigma receives upon it some 

 pollen, no seeds will be formed. 



5. Sepals and petals are of use in other 

 ways. The sepals usually protect the more 

 delicate and important parts when young. They 

 cover the flower-buds and act in a very similar 

 manner to the scale-leaves which protect the 

 leaf-buds in many plants. The petals usually 

 make the showy part of the flower and, as we 

 shall see later, are of great use in helping to 

 attract insects. They are aided in this by the 

 sweet smell of so many flowers, and also by 



