Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-10-31


Our food, clothes and fuei all come
chiefly from plsnts. We are GO familiar
with the mahy plants which frrnish these
things that sometimes we neglect to
notice many important things necessary
to their growth and continuance. For
instance, while we know and guard
against many injurious insects which
destroy plant life, we sometimes fail to
observe how necessary certain other
insects are and the important work Of
birds.
We learn that parts called stamens and
pistils are found in howers. The stamens
carry little boxes OF pollen. The bottom
OF the pistil is also case or box OF seed
germs. The pollen must creep down
through the pistils and touch the seed
germs before they can grow to be seeds,
and unless there are new seeds each year,
the world of plants must come to an end.
Thus the stamens and pistils are the
chief parts Of the flower. All its other
parts-it its honey, its color, its perfume =
may be lost, but il these remain it will
still be true seed bearing flower.
But many plants do not carry the
stamens and pistils all in one flower, and,
more than that, they may not all be on
the same plant. Some trees have the
| stamen flowers on one tree and the pistil
flowers on another, like the poplar and
palm trees. Again, seeds are best and
strongest, IL the pollen comes from .
flower not on the same plant, SO that II is
plain that in some way the pollen must
be carried about from one plant to
another, and here Is where the bees and
other insects become necessary to plant
life.
These insects, varying in size from he
finest ant. which can creep INTO the
i smallest pisuts, TO the large bumblebee,
butterfly or moth for the large flowers,
dothis work for the plants, and each is
lifted in some way for the special work
| ne has to 40. Yet the bees and other
insects do not know what they are doing
beyond getting honey for their food.
I In most flowers there is little honey.
This honey gathers in the flower about
the time the pollen 10 ripe in the boxes.
Just at the time that the flower needs
the visit OF the bees, the honey is ready
for them, and while they are getting
that they get covered with pollen which
they carry from flower to Hover.
! But question comes up here: how does
the bee get the pollen to the right flower!
The blossom OF the apple tree cannot use
the pollen from pear or other kind of
tree, and the same il true of all plants
the pollen must come from plant OF its
own kind. To answer this need comes in
. strange habit OF the insect. Insects fly
from flower to flower, but they 70 from
flowers OF one kind to other flowers OF
the same kind. II bee begins with
clover, 1t will go from clover to clover,
and not from a clover to Q buttercup or
daisy.
The shape OF q flower has much to do
get the honey and the pollen. Some need
bees with thick bodies, like the humble
bee. Some need butterflies with long
tubes. some need wasps with slender
bodies and legs. while some need little
creeping ants or gnats. Each flower has
what will attract the right insect. Its
honey, its lovely color and perfume are for
the attraction OF its partners, the insects,
Flowers that need visits of night moths
or other insects that fly by night, are
white or light yellow, which can more
readily be seen, while those needing the
day-fiying insects may be Of other colors
The work of the bird partners 10 the de-
struction OF harmful insects which feed
on the plant itself, and the carrying Of
seeds from place to plsce.
A little thought will show that be who
destroys these helpful partners, particu-
larry the birds and bees, 10 doing great
harm, for BY means Of bees the plants
seed germs grow and perfect seeds, fruit.
and vegetables for our food, while by
means OF birds. seeds are distributed
Thus many plants grow and men arr
clothed and warmed and fed.