STAMENS. 29 



and the busy bee fills her baskets hourly with these pretty 

 cakes for her nurslings. 



POLLEN-TUBES. 



To see the actual pollen-tubes in their passage down the 

 style is a more difficult matter; nevertheless, with care 

 and a good glass it may be managed. Put on the -inch 

 and choose a flower with a very stout style, a Cistus or 

 this Chickweed; the flower must have just faded, then you 

 may be sure the ovules are fructified. With a sharp razor 

 make a very thin section of the pistil, and lift it with a 

 fine sable brush on to a slide in a drop of water, and 

 cover as usual with thin glass ; focus carefully, have good 

 light, and you will see the pollen-tubes actually descending 

 the tissue of the style. 



Now we are considering a great mystery. We see how 

 varied are the lengths of styles and pistils, yet shorter or 

 longer the pollen-tube stops not until it reaches the ovary, 

 and when there, amidst the many rows of ovules, in many 

 positions, it has to seek the one spot in each ovule by 

 which alone it can enter, and there, and there only, it rests. 

 Perhaps all but one have been fertilised, and are closed it 

 seeks that one and perfects the work. Thus we see the 

 all-directing, all -sustaining, life-giving power of the Omni- 

 present one ; we see His presence in the tiniest flower. He 

 alone knoweth how this may be, we only see that it is so ; 

 and reverently let us ever search into the mysteries of crea- 

 tion, and find new and deep delight in these revelations of 

 His secret order, wisdom, and care for the preservation even 

 of the flower of the field. 



STAMENS. 



The shapes of stamens are also to be noticed. Some 

 open lengthwise, some across ; some have valves like fold- 

 ing doors, flying upward, as in the laurel tribe. The anthers 

 of the barberry are on jointed filaments, which are exceed- 

 ingly irritable, and, if touched by the smallest insect, spring 

 up and scatter the pollen on the pistil. 



Euphorbia, or spurge, a common weed in every garden, 



