SELF-FERTILISED FLOWERS 185 



similar cases which will be disclosed to the close 

 and synif)athetic observer. 



The subject of self -fertilisation would not be 

 complete without reference to those flowers which 

 grow expressly to fertilise themselves. There are 

 certain plants so determined to survive, so doubtful 

 of the capacity of their beautiful blossoms to carry 

 along their life history, that they produce also other 

 flowers of a different sort — "resource flowers," or 

 cleistogamous flowers, they are called. 



After your sweet violets have ceased to bloom, 

 in July or August, dig 

 up a plant and you will 

 find odd, colourless, form- 

 less flowers and seed 

 vessels, just above the 

 ground. The little buds 

 have never opened, but 

 the stigmas have been 

 fertilised and have filled 

 the capsules with count- 

 less seeds. A flower and 

 its section are shown in 

 the sketch. 



Try uprooting other 

 plants in Nature's gar- 

 den and, now and again, 



VIOLET 



