68 
XATURE N07'ES. 
the centre stands the fruiting stem, containing little seed eggs, 
which, when mixed with the pollen, grow into primrose seed.” 
“ Who mixes them ? ” 
“ They are mingled by the bees, who, thrusting their long 
tongues down into the tube in search of the sweet stuff, bring 
away the pollen and carry it to another flower. The difficult 
names for the various parts of the primrose or Pyimula, which 
would have deterred or frightened you at first, you can now 
learn and seek to use them yourselves, in your searchings for 
answers to plant riddles. Each plant has its tale to tell, and 
nobody who has got the habit of listening to such tales can 
honestly complain of being dull. To me, within reach of the 
smoky air of London, these tales are delightful, and when people 
selfishly take away my little plants, I feel quite angry in my 
grief. 
“Not long ago I heard of a Society, formed by a number of 
people who thought as I thought, and when I found that they 
banded themselves together to get old and young people all over 
the country not to dig up (do you hear that, Tom ?) or destroy 
plants, but to protect them in every possible way from those 
persons who would injure them, and also to bring the knowledge 
of plants within reach of unlearned people like ourselves, who 
long to know so much and have so few opportunities of easily 
gaining knowledge, I became a member.” 
My aunt had not finished until father came home from his 
Avork (he is a carpenter, and knows a lot about trees, and about 
birds too), and Avas leaning, unbeknoAvn, by mother’s side, behind 
auntie’s chair. 
“ Speaks like a book, she does,” said he, “ the London 
lass.” 
“ Who’d a thought it ? ” said mother. 
“ What may be the name of the Society ? ” asked father, 
Avith his half grave expression. 
Then aunt told us about the Selborne Society, Avhich is a 
union for the protection of birds and plants and other things 
Avhich are beyond me, and she said that the Princess Christian 
and the great poet. Lord Tennyson, AA-ere in it, and that she paid 
half-a-croAvn a year and got it back in a book, for Avhich she, or 
even a little girl like myself, might Avrite, if Ave put doAvn just 
Avhat Ave saAV, and Avanted to find out the truth, and then father 
said, “ Well, I be hanged if it ain’t AA'orth the mone)n There’s 
mj' tAvo-and-six. I AA’ish they’d protect trees and Avoods. The}'' 
trippers burnt the squire’s finest copse last Aveek, and cut their 
names on trees that I set my eye on for years and years.” 
“ They do protect trees,” cried aunt. 
“ Bless ’em — I mean us ! ” returned my father. 
“ Mayn’t I do something?” whimpered Tom : “ I can lick the 
other boys that go a-digging up the plants, if I’m a member of 
the Selborne Society.” 
Sir, this is all I can remember, but I have AATitten on one side 
