not capillary, hair like; the flower is something like a daisy."

"Yes; it is the Corn Fever-few, another flower whose English name expresses its supposed medicinal use, that of allaying fever. Now we must hasten in and prepare for tea, for our botanical ramble of to-day has rather exceeded its allotted limits."

CHAPTER XI.

Go mark the matchless workings of the Power,
That shuts within the seed the future flower;
Bids these in elegance of form excel,

In colour these, and these delight the smell;
Sends Nature forth, the daughter of the skies,
To dance on earth, and charın all human eyes.

COWPER.

"TO-DAY, then, we are to commence the wide subject of flowers," said Miss Vaughan, as they sallied forth on the following afternoon.

“I begin to fear that it is a very wide subject indeed," replied Dora," almost an impossible one for us. The variety among wild flowers alone appears so infinite, that I cannot see how we are ever to remember all their different peculiarities, so as to recognise them at first sight, and to know their names."

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Fortunately that is not necessary, my love; the variety is very great, but not infinite. The number of British plants has been ascertained exactly, and the whole species classified and arranged in such a manner as to disarm the study of botany of more than half its old terrors; for it used to be indeed a most intricate science. Certain peculiarities, easily learned, mark the tribe and class to which a plant belongs; in your book you will find a description of all the plants belonging to that tribe; compare your flower with them, and you cannot fail to discover

its species and name. I do not, however, wish to persuade you that botany is an easy science; I have often told you on the contrary, that it is in its perfect sense more vast than you can ever hope to master. I have no idea of making you learned botanists, I should not have time even if I had ability; I only wish by shewing you the outline of this grand study, to give you a taste which you may hereafter improve, and which will be a blessing to you in your future life, by providing something for your mind to fall back upon in quiet moments, amidst the cares and business, or the fatiguing pleasures of the world. In short, if it may be to you what it has been and still is to me, my endeavour will be fulfilled. But we have not yet done with that rather dry part of the subject, the organs of plants. You are now going to hear about those of the Inflorescence, which is the term used in botany for that which you call the flower, and which is, in fact, that part of the plant which is preparatory to the perfecting of the seed. I dare say Fanny thought that the beautiful formation of every flower was merely meant to please her eye; she did not consider that the purpose of each little organ within it was to form, and preserve, and ripen, and then to shed the precious seed! but so it is. In the flower, or inflorescence, there are seven distinct parts. The first is the calyx, or flower-cup. This is outside all the rest; it is almost always green, and divided into several leaves which are called sepals. Gather that Mallow and you will find it."

"O yes, I see it plainly, replied Dora; "this green cup outside. There is a calyx to every flower, I suppose?"

"No, it is sometimes wanting, and sometimes it falls off

when the flower expands. Next comes the corolla, that delicate and most beautiful part, which to unobserving eyes appears to be the flower itself. It is generally divided into leaves, which are called petals, and falls off when the preparation for the seed is finished. Then the stamens, a ring of thread-like substance within the corolla. On the point of each stamen we generally find a little knob, called the anther; which is a sort of box filled with fine dust, called pollen. It is this dust which gives scent to the flower. The lower part of the stamen is termed the filament. The fourth part is the pistil, placed in the very centre of the flower, and surrounded by the stamens; the top of the. pistil is called the stigma, and that which supports the stigma is the style, just as the filaments of the stamens support the anthers. The lowest end is termed the germ, and it is that which contains the elements of the future seed. It is also called the ovary, from ovum, an egg; which is, I think, a better name; for the seed of a plant may well be compared to the egg of an animal. Most flowers contain only one pistil, but some have two or more. There must be stamens and pistils belonging to every flower, for they are the organs which produce seed; and neither could produce seed alone; but they are sometimes found in different flowers of the same plant, and sometimes even on different plants."

"But how can that be if they are both wanted to produce seed? the flowers cannot act with each other upon different plants."

"Yes, Dora, they do; what is required is, that the pollen within the anthers should be conveyed to the stigma upon

the pistil, and this purpose is effected by the wind, which carries it on its breath from one to the other.”

"How wonderful that seems!"

"The fifth part is the pericarpium, or seed-vessel, in which most, but not all, seeds are enclosed; when they have no seed vessels, they are called naked seeds. The sixth is the receptacle, or that which receives all the other parts of the flower, and unites them."

"Then is not that the same thing as the calyx?"

"No, Mary, the calyx is outside all, the receptacle is inside of the base, or bottom of the flower. In some it is not easily discerned; in others it is very distinct. You have eaten artichokes, and you know the part which remains when you have pulled off all the leaves, and which you call the meat: that is the receptacle. Pick off the corolla from this daisy, and you will see a little green thing rising from the base in the shape of a cone: that is it also. The seventh and last part is the seed, or fruit, which is formed within the ovary. As soon as the pollen has been absorbed by the pistil, the ovary enlarges, and the stamens, pistil, and corolla, having performed their various offices, wither; fall away to make room for the seed-bud, which becomes larger every day until it reaches its perfect state. There is another part called the nectary, which is found in some, but not all flowers. It is a little cup concealed generally under the petals, which contains a small quantity of honey-like juice. Its use to us is well known; its use to the plant appears to be that of a reservoir for the nourishment of the young seed."

"Then bees cannot gather honey from all flowers?"