THE BLOSSOM 149 



The head at the top of it is the stigma; the swelling 

 at the bottom is the ovary or future apricot." 



"That little green thing," Emile exclaimed incred- 

 ulously, "would have turned into a plump, juicy ap- 

 ricot such as I am so fond of?" 



"Yes," affirmed his uncle, "that little green thing 

 would have turned into an apricot such as Emile is 

 so fond of. A similar little green thing would have 

 turned into a big juicy pear, into a fragrant apple, 

 or into a huge pumpkin, so heavy that it rests lazily 

 on its stomach. To conclude, I will show you the 

 ovary from which come wheat and consequently 

 bread." 



Uncle Paul took a needle ; then with the skill and 

 patience necessary for this operation he isolated one 

 of the numerous flowers that collectively make up the 

 ear of wheat. The delicate little flower displayed 

 clearly, on the point of the needle, the different parts 

 composing it. 



"The blessed plant that gives us bread," con- 

 tinued Uncle Paul, "has very modest flowers. Two 

 poor scales serve it for calyx and corolla. You can 

 easily recognize three hanging stamens with their 

 double-sacheted anthers full of pollen. The main 

 body of the flower is the plump ovary which, when 

 ripe, will be a grain of wheat. It is surmounted by 

 the stigma, which has the shape of an elegant double 

 plume. Such is the modest little flower that fur- 

 nishes us all with the staff of life." 



