692 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



plant is kept warmer. When the fern commences to grow, it stretches up 

 and seems t" lea'^ "ver backward in i+= pffnrt to be bigger. First the main 



_ stem, or rachis, loosens its 

 coil; but before this is com- 

 pleted, the pinnae, which 

 are coiled at right angles to 

 the main stem, begin to un- 

 fold; a little later the pin- 

 nules, which are folded at 

 right angles to the pinnae, 

 loosen and seem to stretch 

 and yawn before taking a 

 look at the world which 

 they have just entered; it 

 may be several days before 

 all signs of the complex coil- 

 ing disappear. The crosiers 

 of the bracken are queer look- 

 ing creatures, soon develop- 

 ing three claws which some 

 people say look like the 

 talons of an eagle; and so 

 intricate is the action of their 

 multitudinous spirals, that 

 to watch them unfolding im- 

 presses one as in the presence 

 of a miracle. 



LESSON CLXXV 

 How A Fern Bud Unfolds 

 Leading thought — All of 

 the parts of the frond of a 

 fern are tightly folded spir- 

 ally within the bud, and 



Fiddle heads , or crosiers. Young ferns unfolding. 

 Photo by Vcrne Morton. 



every lobe of every leaflet is also folded in a spiral. 



Method — The bracken crosier is a most illuminating object for this 

 lesson, because it has so many divisions and is so large; it is also con- 

 venient, because it may be found in September. However, any fern bud 

 will do. The lesson may be best given in May when the woodland ferns 

 are starting. A fern root with its buds should be brought to the school- 

 room, where the process of unfolding may be watched at leisure. 



Observations — i. Take a very young bud. How does it look? Do 

 you see any reason why ignorant people call these buds caterpillars ? Can 

 you see why they are popularly called "fiddle heads?" What is their true 

 name? How many turns of the coil can you count? What ij the cover- 

 ing of the crosier? Do you think this cover is a protection? How is the 

 stem grooved to make the spiral compact? 



2. Take a crosier a little further advanced. How are its pinnae folded? 

 How is each pinnule of each pinna folded ? How is each lobe of a pinnule 

 folded? Is each smaller part coiled toward each larger part? 



