BLOSSOM-TIME 37 



only half -awake and too small and crumpled to 

 impede the work of the wind. 



"What blossoms are first out? You know — 

 the pussy willows. We find them on the willow 

 shrubs by the water-side. Note the tough, 

 brown varnished bud scales, arranged alter- 

 nately on the twigs. Some are small and 

 pointed, others large and round. The small 

 buds contain leaves. Let us pass them by and 

 see -what comes from the larger ones. Ah! 

 here are some beginning to burst. Inside is a 

 soft mass of shining, silvery gray fur. As 

 they come out of their brown covering they 

 look like little pussies clinging to the tvsdg. 

 What are they? Fairies' muffs? No, indeed, 

 they are bunches of blossoms. In a few days 

 they will lengthen into tassels or catkins. If we 

 look carefully we shall see that there are two 

 kinds of these tassels. The blossoms from one 

 tree are made up of two stamens and a leaf 

 each. Those from another have a single pistil 

 and a leaf. The staminate blossoms are cov- 

 ered with bright yellow pollen. The pistillate 

 blossoms are green. 



But how does the pollen from the staminate 

 catkins get away over here on the pistillate 

 ones? For it is the duty of the pistils, you 

 know, to form the seed, then to nourish and shel- 



