“Here is a hawthorn twig. I brought it to let you see another way in which plants protect their buds. In the hawthorn the buds usually occur in pairs together. Between each pair of buds there is a long sharp thorn.
“The reason why every pair of buds is guarded in this way is very clear. The horse-chestnut and beech have tall, stout stems, which rear up their branches far out of the reach of grazing animals. The hawthorn is a low growing tree. Its branches are within easy reach, and its tender buds would be nipped off by sheep and cattle if it were not for these sharp thorns.
“The thorns also prevent the buds from being knocked off by anything rubbing against the hawthorn hedge. You will notice that each thorn is very much longer than the buds beside it. These thorns can give a very cruel prick, as every boy knows who has tried to cut a twig from the hawthorn hedge.
“By and by we shall see that there are many plants which arm themselves against animals in this way.”
Exercises on Lesson III.
1. Take in twigs with buds on them in December. Place them in water, and watch them from day to day. 2. Select one bud, and make a drawing of it every third day from the time it begins to open. Keep your drawings. 3. How are buds protected? (1) from cold; (2) from animals. 4. What causes the “horse-shoe” marks on horse-chestnut twigs? 5. Make a drawing of a small beech twig, showing buds and leaf-scars.
IV.—A BABY PLANT.
“To-day,” said Uncle George, “we are going to try to find out something about seeds.” And he placed upon the table a saucerful of beans which had been soaking in water for two days.
“First let us look at the seeds as they are when we get them from the shop,” he said, laying a handful of hard, wrinkled beans upon the table.
“They are as hard as stones, and very much smaller than those we soaked,” said Frank.