“In the white florets there are no pollen-boxes of any kind.
“Thus, we see that the inner florets are perfect florets which produce seeds.
“The outer florets have all run to petal. Their business is to show the way to the plain little florets in the middle.
“There is another thing about the daisy that I should like you to notice,” Uncle George continued. “If you go out on a dull day, or in the evening, you will find all the daisy flowers closed up. They only open out in bright sunshine, when all the insects are flying about.”
Exercises on Lesson VII.
1. Daises are called “composite” flowers. Can you tell why? Cut a large “ox-eye daisy” or corn marigold through the centre and examine the florets carefully. 2. Using a lens, draw separately, an inside and an outside floret. Make your drawings large, and name the various parts of each floret. 3. Take two ox-eye daisies. Pull off all the white florets of one of them. Then compare them. Pin both flowers up on the wall. Go back about thirty paces and note which flower is best seen. 4. The daisy leaves form a little rosette on the ground. Make a collection of wild plants which have similar leaves. Draw a single leaf of each, and compare with those of the daisy.
Nest of Chaffinch.
VIII.—CHAFFINCH AND SONG-THRUSH.
It was Frank who found the chaffinch’s nest in the wood. It was built in the fork of a small tree, about eight feet from the ground.