LESSONS WITH PLANTS 353 



eeds to a distance. The sweet pea when ripe splits open 

 .nd quickly curls the two halves of the pod into spirals, 

 hereby snapping off the seeds. The pansy does a similar 

 hing. Other plants also have such methods for snapping 

 lut the seed. 



The common garden balsam and its wild cousin the touch- 

 Qe-not have seed pods that when ripe and slightly touched 

 plit up into spiral parts, thereby throwing, the seeds some 

 listance. 



Who will say that plants are uninteresting and stupid 

 hings ? 



Grasses and Cereals 



Teach the pupils that grasses and grains are flowering 

 )lants. Let them bring early in summer, timothy, wild 

 ye, June grass, and any grains that happen to be in flower. 

 Nith a magnifying glass and with diagrams, study briefly 

 he structure of a grass flower. Note that the more showy 

 )arts of flowers in other plants are here replaced by incon- 

 picuous green bracts. Generally the anther filaments are 

 lender and long, so that the anthers hang out of the flower 

 .nd shake in the wind. Similarly the stigmas of grass flowers 

 ire long and feathery, so as to catch the pollen which is 

 )rought to them by the wind. The flowers of grasses are 

 mall and are generally clustered together in heads or 

 pikes. Note the general appearance and growth of vari- 

 lus grasses. Note the hollow stems, the solid joints, and 

 he slender clasping leaves. Many grasses have large root- 

 talks. 



Though it may be impossible to name all, it is instructive 

 collect as many different kinds of grasses as can be found 



