BEES AND FLOWERS. 22Q 
five also fall down, and then, and not till then, the 
stigma opens and lays out its five sticky points, as 
you may see in the right-hand flower, Fig. 62. 
But its own pollen is all gone, how then will it get 
any? It will get it from some bee who has just taken 
it from another and younger flower; and thus you 
see the blossom is prevented from using its own pollen, 
and made to use that of another blossom, so that its 
seeds may grow healthy and strong. 
The garden nasturtium, into whose blossom we saw 
the humble-bee poking its head, takes still more care 
of its pollen-dust. It hides its honey down at the end 
of its long spur, and only sends out one stamen at a 
time instead of five like the geranium ; and then, when 
all the stamens have had their turn, the sticky knob 
comes out last for pollen from another flower. 
All this you may see for yourselves if you find 
geraniums * in the hedges, and nasturtiums in your 
garden. But even if you have not these, you may 
learn the history of another flower quite as curious, 
and which is found in any field or lane in England, and 
is not uncommon in America. The common dead-net- 
tle (Fig. 63) takes a great deal of trouble in order that 
the bee may carry off its pollen. When you have found 
one of these plants, take a flower from the ring all 
round the stalk and tear it gently open, so that you can 
see down its throat. There, just at the very bottom, 
you will find a thick fringe of hairs (/, No. 2, Fig. 63), 
* The scarlet and other bright geraniums of our flower-gar- 
dens are not true geraniums, but pelargoniums. You may, 
however, watch all these peculiarities in them if you cannot 
procure the true wild geranium. 
