28 APRIL AWAKENING. 



quite inconspicuous, were it not for the sudden 

 appearance of those large yellow anthers, which 

 are in such striking contrast to the brown-purple 

 spikes. 



Nature has been as painstaking in devising 

 means for the reproduction of this funny plant, as 

 she has for that of the towering pine tree. How 

 delicately adjusted on the fine, pliant stylus are 

 the long pollen cases, now stuffed full and burst- 

 ing open ! The slightest breeze swings them to 

 and fro and scatters the fertilizing grains on the 

 pistillate flowers which are on separate heads, 

 situated just below them on the same culm. 

 The stigmas that have pushed themselves out 

 between the maroon scales, appear like tiny 

 feathers when viewed with the magnifier, and the 

 little vegetable tentacles, with which they are 

 thickly beset, will catch any chance pollen grain 

 that comes within their reach. 



How different is the growth and fructification of 

 these common "horse-tails," growing in the sandy 

 soil, by the stone wall, farther down the hill ! 

 Hundreds of pale, succulent fruiting stems of 

 these curious plants are springing up from the 

 grass, like sprouts from the potato pen. They 

 have been lifted from the ground very quickly h^ 

 the genial sun. No sign of them was visible a 

 week ago, and in a few days they will disappear as 

 suddenly as they came. Though not brilliant in 



