524 Handbook of Nature-Study 



visiting flower (a) gets her tongue dusted with pollen from the anthers 

 at the middle of the tube ; and this pollen is applied at exactly the right 

 place on her tongue to brush off: against the stigmas of a flower of the 

 (b) form. While a bee visiting a bluet of the (b) form receives the pollen 

 at the base of her tongue, ■ftnere it is conveniently placed to be brushed 

 off by the protruding stigmas of the flowers of the (a) form. 



This arrangement in flowers for the reciprocal exchange of pollen 

 characterizes members of the primrose family also; it is certainly a very 

 clever arrangement for securing cross-pollen-ation. 



LESSON CXXV 

 The Bluets 



Leading thought — The bluets have two forms of flowers, the anthers 

 and stigmas being placed in different positions in the two, in order to 

 secure cross-poUenation by visiting insects. 



Method — Ask the children to bring in several bits of sod covered with 

 bluets. During recess let the pupils, with the aid of a lens if necessary, 

 find the two different forms of flowers. Later, let each see a flower of 

 each form with the tube opened lengthwise. 



Observations — i. Where do the bluets grow? Do they grow singly or 

 in masses? On what kind of soil do they grow, in woods or meadows? 

 At what time of year do they bloom? 



2. Describe the bluet flower, its color, the shape of its sepals, the form 

 of the corolla, the color of the corolla-tube and lobes. 



3. Where is the nectar in the bluet? What color shows where the 

 nectar is to be found? 



4. Look directly into the flowers. Do you see any with the stigmas 

 thrust out of the corolla-tube ? Is there more than one style ? Has it one 

 or two stigmas? Open this flower-tube and describe where the anthers 

 are situated in it. How many anthers are there? 



5. Look for a flower where the stigmas do not protrude and the 

 anthers close the throat of the tube. Where are the stigmas in this flower, 

 below or above the anthers? Where are the anthers attached? 



6. Work out this problem: How do the insects gathering nectar 

 from one form of the bluets become dusted with pollen in such a way as 

 to leave it upon the stigma of the other form of the bluet flower? 



7. How many sepals are there? Do they fall off when the blossom 

 falls? 



"So frail, these smiling babies. 



Near mossy pasture bars, 

 Where the bloodroot now so coyly 



Puts forth her snowy stars; 

 And the maple tall and slender. 



With blossoms red and sweet. 

 Looks down upon the bluets 



Close nestled at her feet. 



'Innocents', the children call them, — 



These floral babies small, 

 Of Mother Nature olden. 



Whose broad lap holds them all." 



— Ray Laurance. 



