Show THE DANDELION bear common flower that grokest beside the way fringing the dusty road with harmless gold tie the springs largess which she scatters now in the course of a morn ng stroll a few days ago I 1 found a dandelion flower lifting ito a gold head to catch the early sun it was the first of ito 1 kind I 1 had observed during the present spring and I 1 felt to wd we come that modest blossom blos aa would a returning friend glance Gland lU then along the sunny hillside slope I 1 found others some just burst bursting fl from their buds others othere in the pride and enjoyment of their flowery prime and yet others with whiten 0 locks and ripened seed I 1 plucked a few of the flowers flow ersI a each of the conditions named and forthwith opened a conversation with them in the language which nature understands so well that of 0 careful observation A word first however in regard to the name by which the plant s known to us the word 1 dandelion is in reality a changed boom tov of the french expression doni tow w do lion hon meaning literally lions tooth and this same idea is conveyed in III the german name for the plants plant these titles have ret arence without doubt to the P cullar culiar shape of the leaves eaon bach leaf as can be seen is of tta elongated form the margins are a dee deeply p y cut the lobes being inclined backward fig 1 with a supposes supposed resemblance to the dental projections of the king of beasts fig 1 dandelion lest nob these tooth like lobes are without their use though P v we have not learned to rec 01 such in its ite falness ful ness I 1 have ha v found a dandelion dand ellou grobins 87 amongst grasses and othet other pla z itself with vath in much taller than orew aw I 1 chances seemingly of lbs ite to shadowed by its taller ne the total exclusion of sawas bu however in such a case the d wa win grass stalks are blown by the against the dandelion the goow WD 9 like books on the leaves and thus prevent its return ow tw it to assist in holding UP HP 1 I 1 leaf to the sunshine ahac the dandelion posse possesses ea the g act of being ableton cowa successfully with its rivals ao sud V adapt itself to 3 1 aae ot the striking between fonn of the plant in poor soil alander A 1 ander jander conditions of rich fer y in the former case the plant etc a rosette of short spreading V eg apparently striving to cover 1 A ach ch ground as it reasonably j aana thus securing a consider arvon from which its roots can y w Dour nourishment ishm ent enrich ground 7 wever a smaller quantity of soil i stains all the needed nutriment vie e leaves eaves in n such cases are ay 8 and less divergent in theirs their the flower stalk too is abt in the poor soil just long to support the flower in such J position that it can receive aban 1 r alight but in a more luguri the stalk may be two aw te feet in length instead of but OJAY yinchee inches afi U stalk upon which the flower ported Is hollow and this feat ata adds to itai strength and general clity to 1117 it is a well known fact 4 that for a given k of material a tube is much than a solid bar to dem athis 3 rue this fact the following sim COUO may be pursued take a p 7 t of foolscap divide A paper it in 4 lal 41 halves roll one as a solid 1111 b ead the other as a tube tie a 1 around each evo en to prevent J t 1111 and support the ends of ja paper rods on a couple of ba 4 place weights on each 0 hollow rod will support nearly M ue as ae much as the solid body 41 att it breaking so even the systems ot and the stalks of grass aled upon a plan of consistent div intern 0 IBM P let us examine the flower bitte detail and attention to ysee see its parts we may cut a completely in half using P knife and cutting from the WIN iMp ward this done we will at the cut surface J ittai ai md of an ordinary pocket glass and this is what ja C SN section cushion an shaped organ ate to is rm the termination of the y this the botanist calls the receptacle from the surface arise a number of small flowers C set closely together though in positions of perfect order and appearing to the hasty observer as but one large flower around the outside of this floral bunch are seen a number of green scales like very small leaves forming a cup like clu cluster Later B technically known as the vo lucre to look more closely into the structure of the blossom we must remove one of these pretty florets floreas C from the receptacle and examine it through means of a maher power magnifying glass A complicated structure is readily perceived pig fig 3 all the essential parts of a larger flower being present though in a somewhat modified form a fig 8 dandelion floret first we notice the little ovary 1 by which the flower was set on the receptacle and which if dissected farther will be found to contain a single ovule or seed A very slender neck 2 connects the ovary with a bunch of fine bristles 3 which corres correspond poUd in position and function with the calyx of lar gerand single flowers slender filaments 4 are seen to join the stamens 5 to their anthers or pollen cups 7 these stamens are five in number the edges of neighboring ones being joined so as to form a tube through which the pistil with its long style 8 passes dividing above into a pair of curved re divergent stig mas the colored part of the little flower 6 is known as the corolla it is tubular part of its length but is flattened above into a flower like leaf terminating in five tooth like projections one great object of flower life appears to be the production of seed by which the species may be perpetuated petua ted that this may be effected the process of fertilization must be brought to pass fertilization of flowers is the mingling of the fluid contents of the pollen with the material within the ovules and unless j this is accomplished ferule fertile seed cannot be formed if the pollen of one flower act upon the ovule of the same blossom the process is called sey and when the pollen is conveyed from the flower upon which it was produced to another acting upon the ovules of the second groes crom is said to occur now it appears that cross fertilization is the more efficient method the seeds resulting from self fertilization being as a rule far less vigorous our thrifty tb dandelion seems admirably adapted to the more desirable way of cross fertilize tion and this is brought about in a very beautiful manner let us return to the floret of our specimen once again each lit tle tie cup is filled to the brim with a sweet juice a golden chalice of the purest nectar wandering insects readily succumb to temptations of this sort and they eagerly accept the dandelions invitation to tarry and indulge in a draught of honeyed liquor to comprehend how an insect in sipping nectar from the flower cup can aid in the fertilization of the blossom blo asom some farther attention to detail is requisite notice carefully the upper part of a stamen tube in a freshly opened flower pig fig 4 the pistil is entirely within the tube the style is thickly set with short hairs all directed upward and upon these hairs is a large quantity of pollen shed from the anthers As growth progresses the style protrudes carrying the pollen with it still borne upon the bristle like supports pig fig 5 pi fig 91 A 4 fig 6 5 anther tube protruded pistil an insect alighting upon the blossom and seeking for nectar dectar would certainly rub off a quantity of pollen from the outside of the style the stigmas however are ae still hidden within the tube and consequently safe from self fertilization the me next step in the development of the floral organs is the splitting of the style and the rolling back of the parts so that the inner surfaces or styles are exposed pig fig 6 when an insect comes to a flower in this condition after having perhaps visited a younger blossom from fig 6 style divided which pollen was taken up some pollen will without doubt be rubbed off against the exposed stigmas which become somewhat sticky at this stage through the secretion of a kind of vegetable mucilage so that a grain of pollen once brought in contact with the stigma surface will in all probability adhere permanently manent ly but it may happen that no insect visits the flower and in such a case cross fertilization cannot be effected here to is another wonderful adaptation to circumstances the stigmas as already seen continue to coil that the inner surface is finally brought in contact with the pollin polle n on the style and self fertilization is thus secured as a last resort soon after the fertilization of the blossom the closes thus protecting the fruit during the critical process of its development the corolla style and stamens having discharged their functions and being now of no farther use to the plant wither arid add fedl the ovary swells to ae accommodate the growing seed within its outer surface becomes hard and the slender neck bearing the calyx bristles 2 pig fig 3 grows in length rapidly elevating the bristles fig 7 tig fig 7 fruit of dandelion now the henda bonds backward and exposes the receptacle with the seeds all ready for transportation por tation these the playful child blows away to tell the time of day they are fitted most beautifully for travel As they are wafted wafred through the air they almost put to shame man mans manis Is clumsy inventions for serial navigation the hard ovary being heavier than the other parts will of couise course hang below the downy above if the ovary be rubbed between the fingers blunt projections will be easily felt upon the surface and an examination through our magnifying glass will show as I 1 illustrated ted in the enlarged ovary in figu figure 7 that a number of points or barbs grow from the ovary shel lall directed upward the seed may be borne by the wind perhaps for many miles from its parental home but when it comes to earth the barbed ovary being directed downward will touch the ground first then by the waving to and fro fre of the hairy the seed will be worked deeper and deeper into the soil and so safely sown the barbs act like grappling hooks in preventing the withdrawal of the seed the hairs are worth a closer glance let us separate one of them and bring to bear upon it the power of a compound microscope s an appearance similar to this fig 8 is presented pig fig 8 hair instead of being simple threads each is seen to be hollow and branched the many projections giving of course a greater extent of suri surface alee and a consequent increase of buoyancy fig 9 Recep tade after all a the seeds have gone the convex cushion or receptacle as we have divided decided to term remains Fig 9 upon its surface maybe may be seen berous indentations marking 3 former attachments of the seeds such may be learned from froin humble plant surely the marks of ef infinite care car s wisdom are there on leaf and da fi and downy hair not a fibre fabre W attl its use not a worthless cell to found As soon as the pur burp fulfilled for which a particular ar i 0 was designed straightway that 0 shrivels and decays the hued corolla was needed lu itt economy of the flower that 97 4 insects might be attracted attrache d and I 1 utilization secured but OA as abott this was effected the golden bloj floj do 4 ets eta dried and fell away in fair weather the tiny 3 cups of the full blown spread wide open to the air ani and are conspicuous objects W t passing insect but at night tV fv dew is likely to fall fail and do dor damp weather when the mo I 1 the air would likely dilute and 8 the nectar the flower is r closed and the precious jul juices P served who can venture towa gest an improvement in the aa of the dandelion dande lioni As sl its sphere specially adapted novt ekr circumstances df its allotted j with all others of gods great W am before we leave our no ja ln which economic purposes to uri applies the various parts of humble plant should be al alluded S the young leaves form andee a excellent salad highly P aa sf wf learned its those who have I 1 the green leaves are used aate as a potherb pot herb and the xo ct a valuable medicine the tho bl juice pervading the whole ig contains a but opium as is generally 08 those whom and wisdoms Wis domN may gather honey from a wood weed 40 J E F TA tajai lg ssi |