178 Our Field and Forest Trees 



Its business, like the business of every pistil in 

 every flower, is to form the seed, and then nourish 

 and shelter it until it can take care of itself out in 

 the great world. There is just one pistil in the 

 cherry blossom, and in it is one single seed — the 

 cherry stone. 



The cherry blossom has just one duty and one 

 aim in life, and that Is to form and develop this 

 cherry stone. 



Indeed, all flowers blow and bloom In order that 

 their seeds may live, but only a few are so made 

 that they form but one seed, and so put all their 

 efforts Into one single venture. 



Often there are several pistils In a single blos- 

 som. Often, too, when there is but one pistil, a 

 number of possible seeds lie hidden within It. If 

 some of these fail to develop, or to ripen, others, 

 perhaps, will have better luck. 



The pistils of the honey locust and of the Judas 

 tree are little pea-pods in miniature. Each con- 

 tains a row of tiny green bodies, which are seeds 

 " in the making." 



But no one of them can become a perfect seed 

 without the help of " pollen." 



This Is a dust-like substance, yellow In all our 

 native trees, and sometimes as fine as the finest 

 powder known to the cook or the doctor. 



Pollen is shed by the " stamens " of the flowers. 



The stamens of the cherry blossoms are slender 

 threads tipped by little knobs, which are yellow 



