Part 7

Now let us look at the plant stem. See this lily stem. It dies down each year. It is soft and hollow, and full of water. Cut down a rose stem. That lives a number of years. It is hard and woody.

Some stems have leaves growing upon them, some have none. Some are smooth, others are jointed. Have you seen the joints or rings on a corn-stalk?

Some stems are erect, as the trunks of trees. Some stems climb, as that of the vine; some creep along the ground, as those of the strawberry.

Some stems are round, some square; some are smooth; some are rough.

The color of most stems is green, or brown. Sometimes they are yellow, or of other colors. The corn stem is pale yellow. It has joints. From some of these lower joints you will see roots growing out, and reaching down to fasten in the ground. They act as tent cords; they help hold the stalk firm in the earth.

The trunk of a great tree is a stem; so is the fine stalk of a violet. You see how they differ in size. But different kinds of stems have different names.

Of what use are stems? To the plant the stem is of use, as it holds the leaves, and flowers, and fruit, up into the air and sun. Also the stem is made up of the tubes or pipes which carry the sap, and the food it holds, through all the plant.

Plant stems are very useful to men. The stems of trees give us wood for fuel, and to build ships and houses, and to make furniture. Some stems are also good for food. The stems of flax give us linen.

Now let us look at leaves. What can you tell me about leaves? You will say they are mostly green, but some are of other colors. You will tell me that some are thick, some are thin. Some have veins like a net, some have straight veins. Some leaves are smooth, some rough, or downy.

Some leaves are long, like those of the yellow lily; some are round, like those of the water lily. Some are shaped like hearts, some like arrows, some like shields. Some have smooth edges, some have edges pointed or scalloped. Suppose you count and see how many kinds of leaves you find?

Of what use are leaves? By the leaves the plant breathes. But I shall tell you more about the use of leaves to the plant some other time. Leaves are of use to man. They make a lovely shade. Some leaves are good for food. Out of some leaves cloth, hats, and other useful things, are made.

Leaves differ much in size. There are big palm leaves, ten feet wide. Other leaves are as small as a grain of rice.

Most leaves die and drop from the trees in the fall of the year. But some leaves stay green all winter.

The part of the plant which you like best is the flower. The flower has the most of the color, and the most of the fragrance of the plant. In the flower cup is that drop of honey which the insects like.

Let us look at a buttercup flower. First, here is a ring of what you call five green leaves. They form a cup to hold the flower. Next to these you find a row of bright yellow leaves. These are the petals. Inside there is a little bunch of fine fringe. This fringe is of two kinds. The outside threads are stamens, the middle ones pistils.

The stamens have on them the pollen, or yellow dust, of which you have heard. At the bottom of the pistil is the little seed case or bag. This case grows. It holds the seeds. The other parts of the flower fade and fall. The seed case grows and grows, and the seeds grow in it.

The seed cup, or case, is of many shapes and sizes. I shall tell you more of the seed and its case some other time.

Flowers differ as much or more than leaves in shape, color, size. They differ also in smell. Some smell sweet; some smell bad; some have no smell. Sometimes the flower cup is all in one piece, sometimes it is in two, three, five, or very many pieces.

FOOTNOTES:

Nature Reader, No. 2, pp. 34, 35; No. 1, pp. 39, 45.

LESSON IV.

A YEAR IN A PLANT’S LIFE.

Now you shall hear the story of a plant’s life. The life-story I shall tell you is of a plant that lives one year. This story begins with a seed and ends with a seed.

The story of any plant would be this, only that the story of some plant-lives would run through many years. During these years they would ripen many crops of seeds.

Let us take the story of a bean’s life. We choose this because a bean has a plain and simple story. All its parts are large enough to see. Any one of you can get beans to help tell the story.

To enjoy this story you should get a bowl, or pot, of earth, and seven beans. Now first look closely at these beans. They have a thick shining skin. Break open one bean. It is made in two halves, which have a little seam around them longwise. On the middle of one side is a dent. Your mother will tell you that is the bean’s eye. This dent goes through the outer skin.

Now soak your other six beans in water for a few hours. If you soak them they will sprout sooner when you plant them. Now put one bean in the middle of the pot, or bowl, of earth, and the other five around the sides. Do not bury them too deep. Let about half an inch of earth lie over them. Keep the earth moist. Set the pot in the sun and in fresh, but not too cold, air.

When you took your beans to plant, did they look just as when you put them in the water? No. They were swollen with the water, and the skin was wrinkled. You could see the seam around the bean, and the eye, much plainer than when the bean was dry.