158 
FINDING NATURE’S TREASURES 
can tell them apart,” Uncle Jack explained. “Can you 
tell me who are the friends of the flowers?” 
“We are friends of the flowers,” Buddy replied slowly 
as if he were thinking. “But I don't believe you mean 
us. Perhaps, you mean the bees are friends of the 
flowers.” 
“Yes, I did mean the bees,” agreed Uncle Jack. “Bees 
are friends of the flowers and the flowers are friends 
of the bees. You can hear the gentle humming of the 
bees, as they go from flower to flower, and the flowers 
seem to nod their heads to the bees in a very friendly 
way.” 
“Mother told us that bees find honey, which she called 
nectar, in the flowers,” said Marylee. “The bees must 
be happy when the flowers give them so much sweets. 
What do the bees give the flowers in return?” 
“The bees help the baby seeds of the flowers to grow,” 
replied Uncle Jack. 
“The bees stay such a little while on the flowers, how 
can they help the seeds?” asked Fred. 
“You have both seen pollen, which is the yellow dust 
in the flowers,” Uncle Jack explained. “The tiny seeds 
in the bottom of each flower must have some of this pollen 
before they can ripen. If they do not have this pollen at 
the right time, they will die.” 
“The pollen is right there in the flower,” Bess said. 
“The pollen of many flowers will not make their own 
seeds grow,” replied Uncle Jack. “The baby seeds of one 
flower must have pollen from another flower of the same 
kind.” 
