128 



FIRST STUDIES IN PLANT LIFE 



Flower of wheat, 

 witn scales re- 

 moved, showing 

 loose anthers and 

 feathery pistil. 



■wind. The whole wheat-plant also 

 bends easily to the wind, and the 

 pollen on its slender stalks is so 

 light and loose that it readily floats 

 into the air. On removing the chaffy 

 scales, we find three stamens, and a 

 pistil with two feathery stigmas. With 

 its long swaying stamens, loose pol- 

 len, and feathery stigmas, the plant 

 has no difficulty in " setting its seed." 



8. It is the wind that bears to the 

 green wheat-blade the food that builds 

 it up, food that no eye can see. By 

 the wind's help, too, the wheat-plant 

 makes its seed. And thus, by help 

 of something that we cannot see. is 

 made the grain that furnishes man's 

 table with food. Here, again, we find 

 that the things that we cannot see 

 are often more important than the 

 things that we can look at and handle. 



In the maize plant the pollen- 

 bearing flowers form the tallest part 

 The pistil-bearing flowers, with the 



silken tassel are lower down, and at first are almost 



hidden by the leaves. 



Pistil of a f 

 showing t 

 feathery stigma. 



of the plant. 



Questions and Exercises : — 



(1) Why are very small flowers generally green ? 



(2) The plan of using llie wind as pollen-carrier is more common 

 among trees and tall grasses than among other plants. I low is 

 this ? 



(.3) Why is honey generally absent from the flowers tliat use 

 the wind to carry the pollen ? 



