The Hampton Leaflets Volume 1-4 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 Excerpt: ...really throw their seed-children away, fling them off suddenly, Fig. 3. Pods of the trumpst-vine with winged seeds falling out. just as soon as they are ready to get their own living. This may seem to be rough treatment, even from a plantmother, but it is truly kind, is it not, to give them the best chance Pod of the wild bean, with halves twisted and seeds thrown out.-, to grow r The wild bean does this, as shown in Fig. 4, twisting the halves of its pods and throwing the beans into the air. This-vine is very common in the fall. Look in the garden for the velvet-like pods of the lady's slipper or balsam. Press a ripe one, but look out for your eyes When the elastic pod splits open, all the seeds fly through the air as if shot out of a gun. Perhaps you know the beautiful jewel-weed that grows in moist ground, and have popped open its queer little seedvessels which give the plant its other name of "Touch-menot." When the witch-hazel bush is ready to fling its seedchildren abroad in the world to seek their fortune, you had Courtesy of Doubleday, Page & Co. Fig. 5. Sedges growing in water The seeds will be carried away by the stream better keep out of the way if you don't wish to be hit. Look at the violet's seed vessels and tell how you think its seeds are scattered. Round seeds, of course, are blown over the smooth ground just as easily as your ball would roll. But the wind is not the only kind friend to give the seeds a lift on their little journeys in the world, although it is helpful to by far the greatest number. In early spring, when many seeds are lying on top of the soil, brooks and rivers are swollen by rains until the meadows are flooded The seed-children will now float far away from the parent plant; then, when the waters go d...