GERANIUM FAMILY 



sidewise glance and a charming poise. As the summer waxes to 

 its prime the entire bed becomes a blaze of blossoms whicl^ 

 fairly radiate sunlight from their golden cups. The plant climbs 

 the fences or trails along the ground, but wherever it is it craves 

 light and sunshine. 



The individual flower is in itself most interesting. The calyx 

 is colored as the corolla only in lower tones. Its five sepals are 

 fairly grown together and the three upper unite to form a long 

 slender spur which is a storehouse of nectar. Upon the calyx 

 and between its points grow the petals; the two upper directly 

 attached, the three lower growing on long fringed claws. There 

 are various markings seen as one looks into the heart of the flower, 

 and all point down into the spur. No wandering bee should 

 mistake the directions; they are there conclusive, unmistakable. 

 No ants need apply; the petal fringe is a discourager of ant in- 

 dustry. There are normally eight stamens, and these do not ma- 

 ture at the same time, but discharge their pollen one after 

 another. As the stigma is not receptive until the home pollen 

 is fairly exhausted, the plan considerably lengthens the life of 

 each flower, for as a rule the petals continue the honey call to 

 the bee until the stigma is fertilized, or failing that until the 

 vitality is exhausted. 



After fertilization both calyx and corolla wither; the flower 

 stem begins to curve, sometimes makes two or three turns so as 

 to draw the fruit down into the cool retreat imder the leaves that 

 it may not be harmed by the sunshine. 



Nasturtium behaves as if it were a mountain plant in its native 

 land. It craves light and heat, thrives best on a thin soil and in a 

 dry, warm location. At the same time it bears a very considerable 

 degree of cold. Its leaves change their poise when night comes 

 so as not to radiate heat. 



Tropmolum Lohbihnum is a species from Columbia with blos- 

 soms of the normal type, red to nearly red-black. This species 

 has enriched the present garden race so that a group of Nastur- 

 tium blossoms now gives a marvellous scheme of color— yellows 

 to orange, orange to red and red-browns— all radiant with im- 



264 



