THE FLOWER 107 



flowers of the groundsel or of the wire- weed that runs 

 along close to the ground. 



6. The gay colour. Then the geranium owes its 

 beautiful scarlet petals to the visits of insects. Flowers 

 that use their own pollen have generally small, dull- 

 looking flowers, and often no colour at all. The force 

 which, in our garden flowers, goes to the making of 

 large flower-stalks and large gay petals is, in these 

 weeds, spent in stems and leaves and seeds ; and 

 this is one reason why the weeds can so quickly overrun 

 a garden. 



7. But in our geranium, not only are the petals 

 coloured but also the stamens, and the pollen, and the 

 pistil. Scarlet is a colour easily seen by insects that 

 fly in the day time ; but it would not be easily seen at 

 night ; and so we find that flowers that need the visits 

 of night insects never have red flowers. They have 

 generally pale yellow or white colours that can be seen 

 readily in the dark. 



8. The door-step. And not only does our geranium 

 draw the flies by gay petals, but these petals are built 

 so as to suit the insects in every way. Look at the 

 flower as it sits on the plant, and you will see that one 

 of the petals is a front door step for the insects to 

 alight on. This petal is a large one, and it is also 

 supported by the next two petals, so that it is strong 

 enough to bear the weight of a large insect. And now 

 the bee is ready to thrust its head into the honey- 

 track, if it can find it. Nothing easier ! 



9. Guides to the honey-tube. Right in front of 

 the bee are the two smallest petals, and on these petals 

 are honey-guides. Yes, it is true ! The flower has its 



