18 ON THE ORGANS OF PLANTS. 



and are composed of two, or three parts. The lower 

 part is the OVARY ; the top part is the STIGMA ; and 

 there is often a thinner part between the two, which is 

 called the STYLE. PI. II. 4. 5. 6. and 8. 



But I have not described every part of the beautiful 

 Flowers yet. Do you observe a fine powder on the 

 Anthers ? that is called POLLEN, or FARINA. When 

 the Flower first opens, the Anther has no powder on it, 

 for that is contained within : open an Anther with 

 your needle, and examine it through your lens : it is 

 like a minute Seed-vessel, with its Seed within : and 

 thus carefully protected till required to nourish the 

 young Seeds (called Ovules) in the Ovary. The 

 Stigma conveys this nourishment to the Ovules, 

 without it, they would never be perfected, conse- 

 quently no more plants could be produced. Thus, 

 you see, the smallest organs of the plant the Pistil 

 and Stamens, are the most important. How carefully 

 they are protected, by Petals and Calyx, from rain 

 and dew. When clouds gather, or the dew begins to 

 fall, the Petals fold over the centre part, and in most 

 plants, the Stalk bends down, and the Corolla hangs 

 over the Stamens and Pistils, sheltering them as 

 effectually as a small umbrella would. 



