302 



BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



ing to indicate, as before, that the pollen grain has 

 its size accommodated to the length of tube it has 

 to produce. The bee-keeper possessing these plants 

 will never lack a source of amusement and in- 

 struction both for himself and his friends. 



The order Composite, which embraces no less 

 than about 10,000 species, of which 113 are British, 

 includes very many plants that are of the highest 

 utility to the bee-farmer. The name of the order 

 implies that the flower-head {capitulum) really carries 

 many blossoms, which, on account of the closeness of 

 their packing, would popularly be regarded as one. 



Fig. 63.— Section of Flower-head (Capitulum) of Common Cineraria Order 

 Composites (Magnified Four times). 



A, Ray-floret ; B, Receptacle, with Involucre— 1, 1', 2, 2', &c, Florets Entire and 

 in Section, in similar Conditions of Development. 



Let us first examine a capitulum — and, for our pur- 

 pose, a sunflower, a field daisy, a thistle, or a 

 golden rod, with its rich nectar, would have answered 

 perfectly ; but I choose a cineraria from the green- 

 house, for the same reason that I previously selected 

 the pelargonium. Looking at the flower-head we 

 see a ring of petals surrounding a convex centre 



