152 THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



chamber appear to be borne on a central column traversing the 

 pistil. 



No nectar is secreted in the flower of the Tulip, which is, how- 

 ever, conspicuous, and is visited by insects. These feed on the 

 pollen, and in doing so may carry some of it from the stamens of 

 one flower to the stigma of another, and so effect cross-pollina- 

 tion. After being pollinated the pistil develops into a capsule 

 containing numerous seeds, but in cultivation the Tulip is 

 rarely reproduced in this way except for the production of new 

 varieties. 



The germination of the seeds is, however, very interesting. 

 This takes place at no great distance below the surface of the soil, 

 and not at the depth usually occupied by the bulb. The necessary 

 depth is reached by the formation of what are known as "droppers.'* 

 The seedling sends a root into the soil, and the cotyledon appears 

 above ground, its tip remaining for a time in the seed-coat to 

 absorb the nourishment stored there. The growing point of the 

 shoot becomes carried down in a tubular prolongation of the 

 sheathing base of the cotyledon. By means of this " dropper " 

 the bud, which forms the small bulb of the plant in its second 

 year, is placed deeper than the original seedling. This may 

 happen for several years. Ultimately the bulb becomes strong 

 enough to produce a flower. The first flowers produced are as a 

 rule self-coloured, and after two or three years or longer " break " 

 into coloured blossoms. It is not possible to enter farther into 

 the production of new varieties of the Tulip, which once established 

 usually come true when reproduced vegetatively. Enough has 

 been said to indicate the interest attaching to the whole life- 

 history as well as to the regular annual development from the 

 bulb, which can be more easily followed. 



THE FIELD WOODRUSH (Luzula campestris, Willd.). 



More or less extensive patches of this little plant may be 

 found in almost any piece of grassy ground. Though the indi- 

 vidual plants are inconspicuous, the colonies formed by them 

 can be readily distinguished when in flower even from a distance. 

 The plant is a perennial, and not only appears year after year in 



