FOR THE USE OF TEACHERS. 



No. 3. 



Leaflet 



On Nature Study. 



Designed for the Use of Teachers of 

 Public Schools. 



PREPARED BY THE 



FACULTY OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY. 



THE FLOWER AS AN OBJECT 

 FOR NATURE STUDY. 



By Prof. Stanley Coulter. 



In this study let us remember that the beauty of the flower is but 

 an incident, that the work of the flower is the essential thing. Every 

 living organism, whether plant or animal, has two supreme functions. 

 One is the maintenance of the individual life of the organism, and this 

 is secured by the varied processes concerned in nutrition. The other 

 is the maintenance of Uie species or kind, and this is secured by the re- 

 productive processes. To the flower, in a very large, degree, is com- 

 mitted the work of perpetuating the species, and if this fact is kept 

 in mind it will serve to make clear much of what follows: 



Before we consider the work of the flower, let us examine the flower 

 itself very briefly. Let us take for example the apple-blossom or 

 spring-beauty. It will be readily seen in these cases that the flower 

 consists of four circles of parts. An outer and lower circle, which 

 is green in color, known as the calyx, the separate parts being called 

 sepals. Immediately within and slightly above the calyx, a second 

 circle, usually some other color than green. This is the corolla, and 

 its separate parts are petals. Within the corolla a third circle of parts 

 very unlike either sepals or petals in form, the individual members of 

 which are known as the stamens. If you examine closely you will 



