126 UNDER THE OPEN SKY 



this is not as good as cross-fertilization; at 

 least so scientists seem to think. But one 

 thing is sure, these secret flowers of the violet 

 become fine pods full of big round seeds. 

 Surely they are better than no seeds at all. 



To find these strange cleistogamous flow- 

 ers, as they are called, one must go after the 

 first flush of blue flowers is over and hunt 

 close to the ground, if not actually beneath 

 it. But late in June you can scarcely fail to 

 find them on our common violet, which, with 

 its dark flowers and heart-shaped leaves, 

 decorates every grassy country road-side and 

 invades almost every lawn and pasture. 



Back of the fence the wheat is growing 

 tall and heavy and the harvest is not far off. 

 I fear, however, the man who planted this 

 field was not careful about his seed, for 

 there are amongst the grain many purple 

 flowers. 



TARES IN THE WHEAT 



In one of the older translations of the 

 Bible, the familiar passage in Matthew is 

 rendered, "The kingdom of heaven is re- 



