"If we touch one of them, we shall get some of the dust on our fingers.
"Now, watch while I strip off these stamens. What have we got left?""There is another stalk-a big one-in the middle of the stamens." said Norah.
"Yes," said Fred, "this is all there is left. It is called the pistil. The seeds grow inside it, for it is not astalk, but a box. When the stamens are no longer wanted they drop off. But the seed-box, with its seeds, grows bigger and bigger, till it is quite ripe."SUMMARY
The ?owers have to form the seeds from which new plants will grow. They consist of the pretty ?ower-leaves outside, and the stamens and pistil inside. In the very middle of all the parts is the seed-box.
Lesson 40
What we mean by Elastic
"Come and sit down, Norah," said Willie. "I"ve got something new to show you. This is a piece of india-rubber band. Look, if I pull it I can stretch it nearly twice as long.""Well, what of that?" said Norah. "Anybody could do that.""Don"t be in such a hurry," said Will. He let go one end, and the india-rubber sprang back. "This is what I wanted to show you," said he. "The india- rubber will stretch when we pull it, and it will spring back to its proper size and shape when we let go.
