Have you ever studied the little daisies

whose white flowers deck the meadows and the roadsides? Take one in your hand and look at it carefully.

How many petals, se

pals, stamens, and pistils are there?

Count them, Frances.

Are all those white leaves petals, Mattie? I think not. I will pull off one of the white leaves and examine it.

It has a pistil in it.

So has each one.

Each one of these white leaves must be a flower.

You are right. Do you see that this corolla has petals which are united?

The

Then this soft yellow cushion which looks like stamens is something else. I will pull out one of the yellow tubes, and look at it through this glass.

Oh, isn't it beautiful?

little flower.

It looks like a

It is a little flower,

having a tube-shaped corolla, five stamens, and a pistil.

The daisy has a soft cushion of pretty yellow flowers. How many flowers there are in one little daisy! Each little flower is a floret. Floret means little flower.

The outer cup does not look like the calyx of the geranium or the violet. The outer cup is composed of many leaf-like scales, which are wrapped around the bunch of florets, just as leaves are sometimes put around a bouquet.

Do you know why this flower is called daisy?

Many years ago it was called day's

eye, because it awoke so early in the morning. It is as wide awake as it ever was, and its eye is just as bright. It is day's eye now, but we call it daisy.

Isn't the daisy a wonderful flower? Don't you feel better acquainted with it to-day than you did yesterday?

Where does the daisy grow?

What time of the year does the daisy blossom? Why is it called daisy?

What is the daisy's white and yellow hat? Compare one of the ray florets with one of the disk florets.

Study the sunflower, the aster, and the dandelion.

"The stars are tiny daisies high, Opening and shutting in the sky; While daisies are the stars below, Twinkling and sparkling as they grow.

"The star-buds blossom in the night,
And love the moon's calm, tender light;
But daisies bloom out in the day,
And watch the strong sun on his way."

THE DAISY.

"Wake up, little daisy, the summer is nigh,

The dear little robin is up in the sky, The snowdrop and crocus were never so slow;

Then wake, little daisy, and hasten to grow.

"I tease pleasant sunshine to rest on your head,

The dew and the raindrops to moisten your bed;

And then every morning I just take a

peep,

To see your wee face, but you're still fast asleep.

what's said,

The lark thinks you're lazy, and lov your warm bed;

But I'll not believe it, for now I ca

see

Your bright little eye winking softly at me."

THE DANDELION.

"Bright little dandelion,
Downy yellow face,
Peeping up among the grass
With such gentle grace;
Minding not the April wind,
Blowing rude and cold;
Brave little dandelion,

With a heart of gold!

"Meek little dandelion,
Changing into curls,

At the magic touch of these
Merry boys and girls!