,illustration3 ,,violets4 ,illustration3 ,,almond ,,and ,,apple ,,blossom4 ,,the ,,country-,,life-,,readers ,,by ,,arthur ,o4 ,,cooke ,,flowers ,,of ,,the ,,farm ,,contents ,i4 ,introduction ,,ii4 ,in the ,coppice ,,iii4 ,flowers on the ,walls ,,iv4 ,three ,handsome ,weeds ,v4 ,clover ,,vi4 ,in ,ashmead ,,vii4 ,in the ,hay-field ,,viii4 ,in the ,hay-field 7continued7 ,,ix4 ,in the ,corn-field ,x4 ,in the ,corn-field 7continued7 ,,xi4 ,on the ,chase ,,xii4 ,in the ,lanes ,,chapter ,i ,,introduction ,i think that some of you have been with me at ,willow ,farm before to-day4 ,when we were there we went into the farmer's fields in early spring1 and saw the men and horses at work with ploughs and harrows4 ,a little later on we saw some of the crops sown1 such as barley and turnips4 ,in summer we were in the hay-and corn-fields1 and later still we saw the ricks being made4 ,to-day we are at ,willow ,farm again1 and ,i want to show you some of the flowers that grow there4 ,i do not mean those which ,mrs4 ,hammond1 the farmer's wife1 grows in her garden1 pretty as they are4 ,we will look rather at the wild flowers in the fields1 the hedges1 and by the road-side in the lane4 ,no one sows their seed nor takes care of them in any way2 yet they grow and blossom year after year1 and nearly all of them are beautiful4 ,before we begin to look at them we must make sure that we quite understand just what a flower is4 ,even those of you who live in large towns and have perhaps never been in the country1 see flowers of some sort1 ,i feel sure2 you see them in shop windows and they are also often sold in the streets4 ,you have seen wallflowers and daffodils in the spring1 roses in the summer1 violets in winter1 as well as other kinds4 ,you do not need to be told that these are flowers4 ,what about the grass on lawns1 and in such places as ,battersea ,park and ,hyde ,park in ,london8 ,oh1 you say1 that is not a flower at all--that is just grass4 ,yes1 it is grass1 but the grass has a flower as well as a rose bush or a violet-plant4 ,it is only because the grass is kept cut short that you do not see its flower on a lawn4 ,if grass is not cut1 or eaten by animals1 it grows tall in spring2 then in ,may or ,june you would see the flowers on tall straight stems which stand among the blades of grass4 ,many of these grass flowers are very beautiful and we will look presently at some of them in one of the farmer's fields4 ,perhaps some of you have gardens or grass plots at your own homes4 ,if you see some dandelions in the lawn1 or groundsel among the flowers or vegetables in the garden beds1 you say1 ,those weeds must be pulled up4 ,you call the ,dandelion and the ,groundsel weeds1 but they have flowers all the same2 the ,dandelion is perhaps one of the most lovely yellow flowers that we have4 ,they are weeds certainly in your lawn or garden beds1 for they ought not to be there4 ,weeds are plants in the wrong place4 ,by and by1 in the farmer's fields1 we shall see many pretty flowers which he calls weeds4 ,we speak of the ,nettle as a weed1 and do not usually admire it2 yet the ,nettle has a flower1 as we shall see4 ,then what do you think of a tree having a flower8 ,that is perhaps a new idea to you4 ,yet if you look at a ,horse-chestnut tree in ,june you will see at once the large spikes of beautiful white flowers with which it is covered4 ,apple trees have a beautiful pink1 or pink and white flower1 and the ,almond tree bears a lovely pink flower4 ,all other trees have flowers too1 but they are often small4 ,the flowers of the ,oak and the ,beech are small1 but1 though you may not notice them1 they are on the tree each spring4 ,almost all plants1 including large trees1 have flowers--they are flowering plants4 ,just a few plants have no flower2 ferns have none1 nor have the mosses and lichens which grow on walls and rocks and on the stems of trees4 ,fungi1 too1 such as the mushroom1 have no flowers4 ,nearly all other plants have flowers4 ,it is by the flower or blossom that a plant is reproduced4 ,after the flower has faded comes the fruit and seed2 the seed falls into the ground or is sown1 and from it springs another plant4 ,without the flower there would be no seed4 ,you see that there are rather more flowers than you had thought4 ,still1 while we are strolling in the fields and lanes at ,willow ,farm1 we shall look most at what are generally called flowers2 we shall look at comparatively small plants in which the flower or blossom is easily noticed because it is large1 or bright-coloured1 or sweet-scented4 ,but while we are admiring a ,daisy or a ,dandelion in the spring1 we must not forget that the great ,oak-tree above it also has a flower of its own--we must remember that the ,oak-tree also is a flowering plant4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,in ,,the ,,coppice ,outside the front door of ,willow ,farm is a broad curving gravel drive1 at the far end of which a white gate opens into the lane4 ,on one side of this drive is a narrow strip of ground planted with flowers and shrubs1 and close to the front door there is a patch of grass on which stands a large old mulberry tree4 ,on the other side of the drive is a lawn4 ,beyond that are more flowers and then the vegetable garden2 further on still is a little wood or coppice of nut bushes4 ,on this ,march morning we shall find some wild flowers in this little wood4 ,between the vegetable garden and the wood is a low grassy bank4 ,it is bright to-day with yellow primroses4 ,the ,primrose always blossoms early here1 for the bank is sunny and is sheltered from cold winds4 ,illustration3 ,,primrose4 ,i daresay most of you have seen a ,primrose before to-day4 ,each pale yellow blossom is made up of five petals1 which are joined together forming a tube or corolla4 ,the petals are notched or indented on the outer edge4 ,at the centre of the blossom1 where the petals meet1 each petal is marked with a spot of darker yellow4 ,each flower grows alone on a long slender stem4 ,at the top of the stem is a kind of green tube out of which the yellow blossom appears4 ,the ,primrose blossoms have a scent2 not strong1 but very sweet and pleasant4 ,the leaves are called radical or root leaves4 ,they are so called because each leaf appears to grow direct from the root4 ,but the leaves really grow from a short stem at the top of the root--a stem so short that it does not appear above the ground at all4 ,among the bushes of the coppice itself we will notice the flowers which first catch our eye--the pretty blossoms of the ,wood ,anemone4 ,the whole coppice is starred with the beautiful white flowers4 ,we pick one and see that it has six--six what8 ,six petals1 you say4 ,no1 these are not petals1 for the ,anemone has none4 ,they are sepals4 ,the sepals of a plant generally enclose the blossom before it is opened1 and they are usually green4 ,in the ,anemone the petals are absent2 the sepals take their place and are white instead of green4 ,their under side is often not pure white1 but is streaked with pale pink4 ,several blossoms which we pick have six of these sepals4 ,that is the usual number1 but sometimes there are only five1 and sometimes more than six4 ,the blossoms of the ,anemone grow on longer and stronger stalks than those of the ,primrose1 and on each stalk are three leaves4 ,these leaves grow round the stalk in a ring4 ,each leaf is tri-partite--in three parts or divisions2 the edges of these divided leaves are deeply serrated4 ,besides the three leaves on each flower-stalk similar leaves grow from underground stems which creep along not far below the surface of the soil4 ,such creeping underground stems are usually called rhizomes4 ,at the further side of the coppice1 where a hedge separates it from the little meadow called ,home ,close1 are ,sweet ,violets4 ,we catch their fragrant scent before we see them1 for the tiny flowers are half hidden among broad green leaves4 ,each blossom has five petals of a dark purple colour2 there are white ,sweet ,violets too1 but none are growing in our little wood to-day4 ,at the base of the blossom--the part where it joins the stem--one of the petals has a little spur which points back towards the stem4 ,the blossom is therefore said to be spurred2 we may presently see other plants with spurred flowers4 ,there is another violet which grows wild in ,england--the ,dog ,violet4 ,it is larger than our ,sweet ,violets here1 but it has no scent4 ,illustration3 ,,anemone4 ,while we have been examining the flowers on the ground1 the nut bushes above our heads are waiting to remind us of what we said just now--that trees also have flowers4 ,the flowers of the nut bush or hazel are easily seen1 for they appear before the leaves are open4 ,what we see to-day are often called catkins1 but the name which country children give them is lambs'-tails4 ,it is a very good name1 too1 for they are more like the tail of some tiny lamb than anything else4 ,these catkins are yellowish-white in colour1 and soft and almost woolly to the touch4 ,they hang in clusters from the hazel twigs1 and in the strong ,march wind which blows to-day1 they shake and flutter like the tails of lambs at play4 ,some of them leave a dusty powder on our fingers when we handle them2 that is the pollen of the flower4 ,it is not where these yellow catkins are dancing on the twigs to-day that the hazel nuts will appear in autumn4 ,the nuts will grow on twigs where there are very small red flowers--something like tiny paint-brushes4 ,these are the female flowers2 they will be fertilized by the yellow pollen of the catkins1 and will produce the nuts4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,flowers ,,on ,,the ,,walls ,behind the narrow strip of ground with flowers and shrubs on the other side of the drive there is a low stone wall4 ,a piece of the lawn on which the mulberry tree stands has been cut away1 and a flight of steps leads down to a little gate into the foldyard4 ,this wall between the garden and the foldyard is very old and rough--not like the smooth brick walls you see in towns4 ,the stones are of different shapes and sizes1 the mortar has fallen out of it in many places1 and here and there are holes and crevices4 ,yet it is a very beautiful old wall1 for many things grow on it2 mosses and grasses1 and other flowers too1 are there4 ,on this ,may morning we not only see1 but also smell1 one of the flowers which grow upon the wall--it is the beautiful sweet-scented ,wallflower4 ,it grows here and there along the top of the wall1 and a few plants of it are even springing from the sides4 ,some of the plants are quite large and their stems are tough4 ,these have grown here for a long time4 ,the ,wallflower is a perennial plant2 unless it is killed or torn up by the roots it will live and grow for many years4 ,others are quite young and only a few inches high4 ,these have grown from seeds dropped last autumn by the older plants4 ,you very likely wonder how the ,wallflower or any other plant can grow upon the wall1 for there is no earth to be seen--nothing but stones and crumbling mortar4 ,but if we pull up one of the smaller plants we shall find earth clinging to its roots4 ,dry dusty earth has been blown upon the wall by wind1 and has lodged in chinks and holes4 ,dust and soil1 too1 were mixed with the mortar when the wall was built2 and dead leaves falling on it and decaying have produced a little more--for decayed leaves make earth or soil4 ,wallflowers and other plants which grow on walls and rocks find very little soil sufficient for their needs4 ,most of the blossoms of the wallflowers upon this wall are of a golden yellow colour and are very sweet4 ,some of the blossoms are1 however1 a darker yellow than others1 and here and there are petals which are quite brown4 ,if we look at the garden behind us we shall see that ,mrs4 ,hammond has several beds of ,wallflower this year2 it is a flower of which she is very fond4 ,there are wallflowers of two different colours in her beds4 ,one kind has bright golden blossoms1 rather deeper in colour than any of those upon the wall2 the other has flowers that are a rich dark brown4 ,illustration3 ,,wallflower4 ,these plants are sturdier and more bushy than those upon the wall1 and there are more flowers on each plant4 ,the flowers are finer1 too1 and have a stronger scent4 ,if ,mrs4 ,hammond had wished she could have sown seed to produce many different shades of brown and yellow ,wallflowers4 ,she might also have had a purple ,wallflower1 and even a ,wallflower of so pale a yellow as to be almost white4 ,if you and ,i were clever gardeners and had plenty of time and patience1 we could get purple or nearly white wallflowers from these yellow-flowered plants upon the wall4 ,it would perhaps take us many years1 but we should succeed at last4 ,this is how we should set about it4 ,suppose that we wished to have a ,wallflower nearly white4 ,we should look carefully along the wall in spring1 when the blossoms are out1 until we found the very palest yellow blossom we could see4 ,we should mark that plant1 and when the flower was over and the seed was ripe1 we should collect the seed4 ,among the plants grown from this seed we should choose again the plant that had the palest flowers1 and should save the seed from that4 ,we might have to go on doing this for twenty years or more1 but in time we should have a ,wallflower so pale as to be almost white4 ,quite white we should never get our ,wallflower1 for no pure white flower can be obtained from a yellow one4 ,however pale our ,wallflower might be there would still always be just a tinge of yellow or cream colour in it4 ,if1 on the other hand1 we wanted a purple or a very dark brown ,wallflower1 we should save seed from those blossoms which were nearest to the colour we wanted--dark brown or with a tinge of purple in them4 ,we should sow seed from the darkest blossoms again and again1 and at last we should get what we wished to have4 ,illustration3 ,,red ,,valerian4 ,illustration3 ,,stinging ,,nettle4 ,illustration3 ,,white ,,dead ,,nettle4 ,besides choosing seed from the lightest or darkest blossoms1 we should tend our plants very carefully and well1 giving them plenty of good rich soil4 ,this would make them grow bushy and with many flowers1 as we see them in ,mrs4 ,hammond's garden beds4 ,many of our garden flowers have been produced in this way1 by selecting and improving wild flowers4 ,of course all flowers grow wild somewhere2 some in ,england1 but many more in foreign countries1 where the air is warmer and the soil richer and better4 ,the ,pansy is a little ,english wild flower with yellow1 blue1 and red petals4 ,from this little flower gardeners have produced large and beautiful pansies of many different colours and shades of colours--white1 yellow1 blue1 and brown4 ,this has been done by careful selection1 just as we spoke of doing with the wallflowers4 ,but if the large single-coloured pansies of which ,i have told you1 or ,mrs4 ,hammond's dark brown wallflowers1 were allowed to seed themselves--that is1 were allowed to drop and sow their own seed year after year--do you know what would happen8 ,they would gradually revert or turn back to their original form and colour4 ,the flowers would become mixed in colour and less fine in size2 at last they would be simple wild flowers again4 ,illustration3 ,,pansy4 ,now it is ,june1 and the blossoms of the ,wallflower have faded and fallen4 ,the old wall is1 however1 growing gay with another plant--the ,red ,valerian4 ,we must be careful to remember that it is the ,red ,valerian1 for there are other valerians4 ,there is the ,great ,valerian which does not grow on walls or rocks1 but in damp and shady places2 its flowers are pale pink4 ,the blossoms of the ,red ,valerian on the wall are bright crimson1 and they grow in rows on small stems which spring from a stout stalk a foot or two in height4 ,each blossom of five petals forms a little tube or corolla4 ,the base or foot of each little tube appears as a point on the under side of the flower stem2 the ,red ,valerian1 like the ,violet1 is a spurred flower4 ,the leaves are long and pointed1 and they grow in pairs1 on opposite sides of the stalk4 ,sometimes the edges of the leaves are quite smooth2 sometimes they are serrated1 or toothed1 like the edge of a saw4 ,if we pulled a plant of ,red ,valerian from the wall we should find the roots very long and branching2 they need to be so1 for the plant often grows on rocks and other places where it is exposed to wind4 ,if the roots had not a firm hold the tall stems laden with blossoms might be blown down4 ,the ,red ,valerian flowers all through the summer4 ,its clusters of crimson flowers are as great an ornament to the old wall as were the wallflowers in ,may4 ,now let us go down the steps into the foldyard2 there is a wall on either side of us as we descend4 ,the wall which faces the north is nearly always in shadow1 and there are ferns growing but of it between the stones4 ,one of these is a beautiful ,hartstongue fern1 with large and shining leaves4 ,we said just now1 however1 that ferns have no flowers1 so we will turn to something that grows on the wall opposite4 ,this is the ivy-leaved ,toadflax4 ,it grows on walls and rocks1 as the ,red ,valerian does1 but it is a very different plant in appearance4 ,the stems of the ,red ,valerian are tall and upright2 those of the ,toadflax are slender and drooping4 ,there is a large mass of it on the side of the wall1 and we find that the root is at the highest point of the whole mass4 ,the stems with the flowers and leaves hang down below the root2 it is a trailing plant4 ,there are1 however1 other roots clinging to the wall here and there below the main root4 ,the plant1 like several others1 is able to throw out fresh roots from the joints of its stems1 and these give it a firmer hold4 ,the flowers are small1 and their colour is a pale lilac-blue with a bright yellow spot in the centre4 ,these flowers too are spurred4 ,the leaves are smooth and thick--what is called fleshy4 ,they are divided into five lobes or divisions1 and are not unlike an ivy-leaf in shape4 ,when we turn a leaf or two over we see that the under side of some is dark purple4 ,illustration3 ,,ivy-,,leaved ,,toadflax4 ,this little plant is usually said to prefer a damp situation1 and to blossom from ,may till ,october4 ,this wall beside the steps is certainly rather damp1 for the moisture from the garden above soaks down to it4 ,in my own garden1 however1 the ivy-leaved ,toadflax grows on some very dry old walls1 and ,i have found it in flower in the middle of ,december4 ,neither the ,toadflax nor the ,red ,valerian are really natives of ,england4 ,they were brought to our country many hundreds of years ago4 ,they have spread so much that they have now become wildflowers4 ,in the same way many others of our wild flowers were once unknown in ,england4 ,now that we have come down the steps into the foldyard we see that it lies a good deal below the house and garden4 ,built round the foldyard are the stables for the cart-horses1 the cowhouses1 and the great barn4 ,behind the stables is the rickyard4 ,that1 like the garden1 is above the foldyard2 from it there are only two or three steps to the door of the loft or tallet above the stables4 ,it is there that we will go now4 ,the wall of the tallet is of stone and is very old2 the roof is tiled4 ,there is a little hole cut in the bottom of the door1 and you will see one like it in the door of the granary4 ,it is made so that old ,tib and the other cats can go in and catch mice4 ,growing between the stones of the wall just by the tallet door is the plant ,i want to show you now4 ,it is the ,stonecrop4 ,some of the stems grow upright1 while others are trailing4 ,at the top of each upright stem is a cluster of bright yellow flowers4 ,some of these are fully open1 and we see that each blossom has five pointed petals4 ,the trailing stems have no flowers at all1 they are barren2 but the leaves on the barren stems are much more numerous and closer together than those on the upright flowering stems4 ,illustration3 ,,common ,,stonecrop4 ,these leaves are very curious4 ,they are not flat like the leaves of the ,red ,valerian1 the ,toadflax1 and most other flowers2 they are very thick and fleshy--something like a short round pointed stick4 ,they grow close against the stalk1 not in pairs1 but alternately1 first a leaf on one side of the stalk1 then a leaf on the other4 ,they are erect too2 that is1 they point in the same direction as the stalk4 ,on the barren stems the leaves grow so closely that they quite cover the stalk4 ,they have a hot sharp taste1 and the plant is sometimes called ,wall-,pepper4 ,the roots are very thin and can spread easily through narrow chinks of the wall4 ,we will see one more plant of the walls before we look for flowers elsewhere4 ,our next plant is not very common at ,willow ,farm2 still ,i know where to look for it4 ,built against one side of the big barn in the foldyard is a little lean-to shed4 ,often there are calves in it2 but just now we are more interested in something that is on the roof4 ,standing close to the wall of the shed is a cattle crib--a kind of big square box or trough on legs1 in which hay or chaff is put for the cattle4 ,the shed is not very high1 and by standing on the crib we can scramble on to the roof4 ,here is the plant we want to see4 ,it is the ,houseleek1 of which a clump is growing between the tiles4 ,almost flat on the tiles is a dense mass of large green fleshy leaves4 ,these leaves are evergreen1 they do not die and fall off in winter4 ,from this cluster of leaves rise straight thick stems nearly a foot high4 ,the stems are thickly covered with erect leaves which grow smaller towards the top of the stem4 ,at the top of the stem is a cluster of very handsome rosy-red flowers4 ,each blossom is star-shaped when fully open1 and generally has twelve petals4 ,illustration3 ,,house ,,leek4 ,if we could see the roots we should find them very thread-like or fibrous1 like those of other flowers we have been looking at to-day4 ,i do not think ,i can very well show you the roots1 however2 we should have to pull up a plant1 and that would not please ,ben1 the cowman1 at all4 ,there is a belief in country places that it is bad luck to disturb the ,houseleek--that someone in the house on which it grows is sure to die soon afterwards4 ,certainly the plant is not growing on a house here--only on the calves' cot4 ,still1 if any misfortune should happen to the calves we might be blamed by ,ben4 ,besides1 it would be a pity to disturb so handsome a plant1 would it not8 ,we have spent some time in looking at these flowers on the walls and roof because we think them very wonderful4 ,we see how little soil they can have in which to grow1 and how1 in dry weather1 they can have very little moisture either4 ,yet the leaves of several of them are thick and fleshy1 and the flowers of some are large and beautiful4 ,what could be more handsome than the blossoms of the ,wallflower1 the ,red ,valerian1 and the ,houseleek8 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,three ,,handsome ,,weeds ,at the end of the drive1 near the front door1 another white gate leads to the nag stables1 where ,mr4 ,hammond keeps the two horses which he rides and drives4 ,billy1 the old brown pony1 has a little stable of his own close by1 and further on are the granary and the poultry yard4 ,perhaps you have heard the saying1 ,ill weeds grow apace4 ,it is certainly a true one1 for most of the plants which we call weeds grow quickly and well wherever they are allowed to remain4 ,we shall not have far to look for the three weeds which ,i want to show you this morning4 ,the first of them is the ,stinging ,nettle4 ,it grows round the wood-pile in the middle of the poultry-yard1 and there are great clumps of it beside the hedge which divides the poultry-yard from the kitchen garden4 ,it is really a very handsome plant1 though you may not have thought so before4 ,look how tall and straight the stems are1 and how evenly and regularly the dark green pointed leaves grow from it4 ,they grow in pairs1 on opposite sides of the stem1 and are serrated4 ,there is something rather unusual about the stem of the ,nettle which we will notice at once4 ,i have brought out a pair of thick leather gloves1 so that we can pick a stem without being stung4 ,you know what shape the trunks of trees are4 ,round8 ,yes2 round or nearly so4 ,so are the stems of most plants2 the stems of the ,red ,valerian are round4 ,the stem of the ,nettle1 however1 is square1 or if not perfectly square1 it has four distinct sides4 ,perhaps you had never noticed this before1 for the ,nettle is certainly not a plant with which one cares to have very much to do4 ,both the stems and leaves are covered with tiny hairs4 ,these hairs are really small hollow tubes ending in a sharp point4 ,when the ,nettle stings you it first pricks the skin with these sharp points1 and then a drop of poison falls from the tube into the wound the point has made4 ,if you happen to get stung by a nettle do not bathe your hand with cold water2 that will only make the pain worse4 ,while you are waiting for the pain to pass off remember that in ,india there are nettles whose sting causes great pain which lasts for several days4 ,you might be much worse off1 you see6 ,the small greenish-yellow flowers of the ,stinging ,nettle grow in long feathery clusters on stalks which spring from the main stem close to a pair of leaves4 ,the young leaves of the ,nettle are said to be very nice boiled as vegetables2 ,i cannot say that ,i have ever eaten them myself4 ,years ago country people used to take a great deal of nettle tea as medicine in spring4 ,nowadays they seem to prefer patent medicines from the chemist's shop4 ,a dye is made from the roots of the ,nettle1 and another dye from the stem and leaves4 ,the young leaves or tops1 when chopped up1 are good for poultry1 especially for turkeys4 ,so nettles are useful1 you see--not merely stinging weeds4 ,the ,nettle1 too1 is a relation of the hemp plant from which we get our string and ropes4 ,illustration3 ,,traveller',s ,,joy4 ,you may sometimes see or hear of the ,white1 ,red1 and ,yellow ,dead ,nettle1 but these are not really nettles at all4 ,their leaves are somewhat similar1 but they are quite different plants4 ,hanging over this great patch of nettles by the hedge there is another weed1 the ,traveller's ,joy1 or ,old ,man's ,beard4 ,its stem has climbed not only up the hedge1 but high into a hawthorn bush which stands there4 ,it has many small white feathery flowers with a pleasant scent4 ,on each leaf stem there are usually five leaflets1 one at the end of the stem and two pairs lower down4 ,these leaf stems are long and tough1 and it is chiefly by them that the plant can climb as it does2 they twine round any branch or twig they touch1 and give the ,traveller's ,joy a firm support4 ,i have seen trees in woods covered with this plant to a height of twenty feet from the ground4 ,in the autumn and early winter you would admire the ,traveller's ,joy as much as you do now4 ,the flowers will certainly be gone1 but each seed which takes the place of a blossom will have a little plume of silky white threads attached to it--a sort of feathery tail4 ,these serve as wings by which the seeds are often carried long distances by the wind4 ,the seeds of some other plants which we shall see have something of the same kind4 ,there is another climbing plant in the hedge1 the ,large ,bindweed or ,convolvulus4 ,to look at it1 however1 we will go round into the garden where there is more of it than ,mrs4 ,hammond cares to see4 ,it is certainly a beautiful plant1 with its large three-sided pointed leaves1 and its great pure white bell-shaped flowers--something like the mouth of a trumpet4 ,in the farmhouse garden1 however1 it is certainly a weed--a plant in the wrong place4 ,we see that at once4 ,close to the hedge are some gooseberry and currant bushes1 and into these the ,bindweed has climbed4 ,the ,bindweed's stems are twined round the stems and branches of the bushes till they are almost hidden by it1 and are bent down by the weight4 ,illustration3 ,,large ,,bindweed4 ,the ,bindweed climbs1 as we see1 by twisting its stem round the tree to which it clings2 but though it is a climbing plant its stems can grow for a foot or more from the ground without support4 ,some of the shoots of the ,bindweed are two or three feet away from the stems of the fruit bushes1 but they have grown unsupported till they could reach an overhanging bough and cling to that4 ,every now and then1 ,dan1 who looks after the garden when he has time1 cuts oft all the ,bindweed close to the ground1 and pulls some of it up by the roots2 but fresh shoots soon appear again4 ,it is of little use to dig up the ground near the bushes1 for the ,bindweed is twisted all among their roots4 ,you think the ,bindweed and the ,traveller's ,joy beautiful flowers1 and so they are4 ,at the same time these plants are far more troublesome and dangerous weeds than the ,stinging ,nettle4 ,nearly all plants that cling to other plants do harm2 they prevent the stems and boughs to which they cling from swelling freely4 ,see how tightly the ,bindweed stems are twisted round the boughs of this currant bush4 ,ivy1 ,bindweed1 and other clinging plants often kill or seriously injure valuable trees in this way4 ,,chapter ,v ,,clover ,i said all ,i could to make you admire the ,nettle1 and to see what a handsome and even useful plant it is4 ,i am afraid1 however1 that you do not care much for it2 ,i do not see that any of you have gathered a handful to take home4 ,when we go in to dinner presently1 if ,mrs4 ,hammond were to say1 ,will you have green peas or nettle-tops8 ,i believe you would all say1 ,peas1 if you please6 ,so we had better look for a flower that you may like better4 ,we will go to ,ashmead1 where the cows are grazing1 and will find some ,clover4 ,mr4 ,hammond grows ,clover in some of his fields every year4 ,those of you who have been at ,willow ,farm before1 and have walked about the farmer's fields1 know this1 for we saw the bailiff sowing ,clover broadcast4 ,besides the fields of ,clover1 however1 there is always plenty of it growing among the meadow grass4 ,we find some directly we go through the gate into ,ashmead4 ,it is a plant with a bright purplish-red blossom4 ,let us sit down and examine it carefully4 ,the blossom is a little knob1 or ball of colour1 almost round4 ,it is made up of a great many little purple stalks1 standing upright and very close together4 ,pull a few of these stalks from the blossom and put their lower ends between your lips4 ,they are quite sweet like sugar4 ,nearly all flowers contain honey1 or rather nectar of which the bees make honey4 ,some flowers have much nectar1 some less1 and some have none at all2 the ,clover contains a great deal4 ,now look at the leaves2 each has three leaflets4 ,if you can find a leaf with four of these leaflets1 the country children will think you very fortunate1 for a four-leaved ,clover is said to bring good luck1 just as a four-leaved ,shamrock does in ,ireland4 ,a four-leaved ,clover is1 however1 rather rare2 ,i hope you may find one1 but ,i am rather afraid you will not4 ,here is another ,clover1 not quite so handsome as the ,red ,clover at which we have just been looking2 the flowers are white1 and are rather smaller4 ,this is ,white or ,dutch ,clover4 ,it is a perennial plant1 and one which spreads over a great deal of ground if it is allowed to do so4 ,we saw1 you remember1 that the ivy-leaved ,toadflax on the wall by the foldyard steps sent out fresh roots from its stems as it grew4 ,the ,white ,clover does the same4 ,the stems creep along the ground1 send out fresh roots1 and in this way the plant spreads quickly4 ,keeping a few stems of both these clovers in our hands we will go a little further up the lane4 ,there1 in a field1 we shall see something that even country people cannot see every day4 ,the ,clover which farmers usually sow is either the ,red ,clover or the ,white1 or else another kind called ,alsike4 ,this year ,mr4 ,hammond has sown a field with a fourth kind--,crimson ,clover4 ,did you ever see a more beautiful sight8 ,the whole field is a blaze of rich crimson colour4 ,i shall never forget the day ,i first saw a field of ,crimson ,clover4 ,i was so delighted that ,i asked the farmer--not ,mr4 ,hammond1 but another friend--if he would have a field of it for me to admire every year6 ,he said he would tell me by and by4 ,at the end of the year he said he did not find it such a useful food for his animals as the ,red and ,white ,clovers1 and he should not sow it again--at least not very soon4 ,you see pretty things are not always the most useful4 ,let us see what differences we can find between the three clovers we have gathered4 ,we look first at the blossoms4 ,that of the ,red ,clover is1 as we have said1 like a little round ball1 or knob4 ,the flower of the ,white ,clover is of much the same shape1 but is less fine4 ,the flower of the ,crimson ,clover is altogether different in shape4 ,it has indeed many small crimson stems1 but these do not form a round ball4 ,they are arranged in the form of a little circular cone or pyramid which is large at the bottom and pointed at the top4 ,illustration3 ,,clover ,,leaves4 #a4 ,white2 #b4 ,crimson2 #c4 ,red4 ,there are other differences4 ,immediately below the flower of the ,red ,clover is a pair of leaves2 the blossom is said to be sessile or seated on these leaves4 ,other leaves1 and also other blossoms1 grow on the same stem4 ,now look at the ,white ,clover4 ,the blossom grows on a stalk without any leaves or other blossoms on it--only the single blossom at the top of the stalk4 ,the blossom of the ,crimson ,clover has leaves below it4 ,to-day we easily distinguish one clover from the others by the flowers4 ,supposing1 however1 that we looked at them some day before the flowers were out2 what then8 ,are there any differences in the leaves8 ,all three have leaves formed of three leaflets--they are trefoils--but the leaves are otherwise different4 ,those of the ,red ,clover grow on stems branching from the flower stem1 and sometimes on the flower stem itself4 ,both leaves and stems are hairy1 and on the leaves there is generally a white mark1 something the shape of a horseshoe4 ,the leaves of the ,white ,clover grow1 like the flower1 at the top of the stem--a single leaf on each stem4 ,the under sides of the leaves are smooth and glossy4 ,the leaves of the ,crimson ,clover grow on the flower stems like those of the ,red ,clover2 but the leaflets are broader and rounder than the ,red ,clover leaflets4 ,the ,crimson ,clover is an annual1 while the others are perennials4 ,all these clovers are good food for the farmer's animals or stock4 ,the ,red ,clover is1 perhaps1 the most useful4 ,bees1 however1 prefer the ,white ,clover1 for they can more easily get at its nectar4 ,sheep are exceedingly fond of ,clover1 but ,mr4 ,hammond is always careful not to turn them into a field of ,clover when they are very hungry1 or to let them stray in by accident4 ,if they got in they would eat it ravenously1 and many would very likely die4 ,too hearty a meal of ,clover has the same effect on them as a great quantity of new bread would have on you or me4 ,we have spent so much time this morning looking at the clovers that we have only a minute or two to stand at the gate of a field of beans4 ,the blossoms are pretty--white with dark spots--and they are very fragrant4 ,a field of beans in flower gives us one of the most delightful of all country scents4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,in ,,ashmead ,there are many other flowers besides the ,clover in ,ashmead to-day1 and this afternoon we will look at some that grow among the grass4 ,one of these you may perhaps call a weed1 yet it is one of the most beautiful wild flowers in ,england4 ,i mean the golden ,dandelion4 ,on a lawn or in a garden bed it would certainly be a weed1 and a very troublesome one4 ,here among the grass we need only think of it as a very lovely flower4 ,see what a rich golden yellow the little florets of the blossom are4 ,plants like the ,dandelion1 in which the blossom is composed of a number of florets1 are called composite plants4 ,if we examine the plant closely we shall find that each stalk which bears a blossom1 and each long deeply indented leaf1 grows1 like the flower-stem and leaf of the ,primrose1 from a very short underground stem4 ,it is from the indented leaves that the ,dandelion gets its name4 ,the leaves have something the appearance of the teeth of a lion4 ,now the ,french name for lion's tooth is dent de lion1 and we ,english have corrupted this into dandelion4 ,each flower-stem is round and1 when we pull one1 we see that it is a hollow tube4 ,we bite a piece of the stalk as we did with the ,clover blossom4 ,what a difference6 ,the ,clover was quite sweet1 but the ,dandelion is very bitter4 ,you may not like the taste perhaps1 but the white milky-looking juice is quite wholesome4 ,dandelion tea and ,dandelion beer are often made by country people1 and the leaves give a pleasant flavour to a salad4 ,shall we pull up a plant and examine the root8 ,i am afraid we cannot1 unless you care to go back to the house for a fork or a trowel4 ,the ,dandelion has a very long strong root--tap-root--which goes deep into the ground2 and there is no tall main stem of which we can take hold--the leaves and flower stalks only break off in our hands4 ,here is a stalk from which the flower has fallen1 leaving only the seed4 ,of what does it remind you8 ,of the ,traveller's ,joy in autumn8 ,yes2 the ,dandelion has what is called a pappus attached to its seed1 rather similar to the feathery tail of the ,traveller's ,joy4 ,this makes the ,dandelion a troublesome weed2 the seeds are easily carried by the wind and1 if a patch of dandelions is allowed to go to seed1 it will produce fresh plants quite far away4 ,before the seeds are scattered each head is like a round white fluffy ball4 ,here are daisies1 with their dainty white florets often tinged with pink4 ,in the centre of each blossom is a yellow spot4 ,every night the white florets fold up over the yellow centre1 and do not open until the morning4 ,this fact explains to us the ,daisy's name2 it is the ,day's ,eye which opens at dawn and shuts at night4 ,the ,daisy is a little flower which everyone knows and loves1 yet in the wrong place it is a weed4 ,it is a perennial and it spreads very fast4 ,of course both perennials and annuals spread by means of their seed1 but perennials also spread in other ways as well4 ,we will see how the ,daisy does this4 ,there2 with my pocket knife ,i have easily dug up a plant4 ,the root is small and compact1 not long like that of the ,dandelion4 ,but1 when ,i try to lift the ,daisy plant from the grass1 ,i find that it is still held down by a stout tough thread branching from the root4 ,this thread is connected with another ,daisy plant2 from that one there is another thread connected with a third plant4 ,when we have at last got our plant clear away from the ground1 three more are hanging to it by these threads4 ,that is how the ,daisy spreads2 it throws out these thread-like shoots from the root1 and from these grow another root and plant4 ,i knew only too well what we should find2 there are far too many daisies in my lawn at home1 and ,i found out long ago the way in which they spread so fast4 ,if daisies are allowed to increase in this way they form large clumps which smother and kill the grass4 ,we notice that each flower-stem and each leaf of the ,daisy springs from a very short underground stem1 as those of the ,dandelion do4 ,daisies and dandelions are plentiful in ,ashmead1 and so are the yellow buttercups4 ,there are1 however1 not quite so many buttercups as you might think at first4 ,the real name of what we call the ,buttercup is the ,bulbous ,crowfoot1 and there is also a ,meadow ,crowfoot in the field4 ,a third crowfoot is the ,corn ,crowfoot4 ,to-day we will notice one or two differences between the two plants we see here4 ,illustration3 ,,bulbous ,,crowfoot4 ,the blossoms of both plants have five smooth shining yellow petals4 ,we see1 however1 that those of the ,bulbous ,crowfoot or ,buttercup form a real cup1 while the petals of the ,meadow ,crowfoot spread out almost flat4 ,the ,meadow ,crowfoot grows two or three feet high2 the ,buttercup is a shorter plant4 ,the flowers are pretty1 but that1 ,i am afraid1 is all that we can say for either of these plants4 ,they are both of them bitter and unwholesome1 and horses and cattle avoid eating them4 ,some people even say that to carry a bunch of the stems will make the hands sore2 so ,i think that we will only look at and admire the flowers where they grow4 ,the ,cowslip is a very different plant indeed and we will not call it a weed4 ,even ,mr4 ,hammond is not sorry to see it here2 for he is fond of a glass of the sweet cowslip wine which ,mrs4 ,hammond will make if we busy ourselves and take home some large basketfuls of the drooping blossoms4 ,before we set to work1 however1 let us examine the plant4 ,looking at a stalk of ,cowslip blossoms we see something peculiar about it at once--something unlike the other flowers we have seen4 ,six or seven drooping blossoms grow from the stalk we have picked1 and they all grow from the very top of the stalk4 ,the point at the top of the stalk from which the blossoms grow is called the umbel4 ,each blossom has five yellow petals joined together to form a corolla4 ,in the centre of the blossom1 where these petals meet1 each is marked with a spot of deep orange-red colour4 ,the yellow petals are comparatively small1 and peep out of a long pale green sheath called the calyx4 ,surely we have seen a flower like this before--the ,primrose in the little coppice4 ,yes2 the ,primrose had five pale yellow petals1 rather larger than those of the ,cowslip1 and joined together to form a corolla2 they grew out of a long green calyx4 ,also each petal had a spot of darker yellow in the centre of the blossom4 ,the leaves of both the ,primrose and the ,cowslip are much wrinkled1 and they grow from a short underground stem4 ,but1 you say1 each ,primrose blossom grew alone on the top of a long stem4 ,yes1 but if we had dug up a ,primrose plant1 we should have found that several flower stems grew from the same point--the top of a very short stem which hardly appeared above the ground4 ,they grew from an umbel1 and the ,primrose is closely related to the ,cowslip4 ,the difference is that the blossoms of the ,primrose grow on long stems from a short-stemmed umbel4 ,those of the ,cowslip grow on short stems from a long-stemmed umbel4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,in ,,the ,,hay-,,field ,here we are in the hay-field at the end of ,june4 ,it is not really the hay-field yet1 but it will be so as soon as the grass is cut for hay4 ,this will be done in a few days1 so we must lose no time if we wish to look at some of the flowers before they are cut down4 ,we must not stroll all over this field as we did in ,ashmead1 for the long grass should not be trampled down1 or it will be difficult for the machine to cut4 ,quite near the gate1 however1 are plenty of flowers1 and we shall find others if we step carefully along the side of the hedge4 ,we will look first at those flowers which are most important to the farmer1 the flowers of the grass4 ,we saw1 you remember1 that the grass has flowers just as the ,rose and the ,wallflower have4 ,if you had thought that the flowers of all grass would be alike1 you see now that you were quite mistaken2 there are many different grass flowers here4 ,illustration3 ,,section ,,of ,,grass ,,stem4 ,not only are the flowers different1 but so are the stems1 and also the leaves or blades4 ,mr4 ,hammond could come into the field in early spring or autumn1 when the grass is not in flower1 and could tell you to which kind of grass any blade belonged4 ,to-day we shall easily distinguish the different kinds of grasses by their flowers1 though we will also notice differences in their stems and leaves4 ,let us pick a stem or culm of grass4 ,we see that the greater part of it is hollow2 but at intervals there are joints1 and here the stem is solid4 ,from each joint grows a leaf-sheath which is wrapped round the stem for a little distance above the joint4 ,out of each sheath grows a leaf4 ,all grass leaves are long and narrow compared with those of most other plants1 but some grass leaves are longer and narrower than others4 ,now for a flower4 ,the stem which we have picked is the stem of perennial ,rye ,grass4 ,the blossom1 we see1 consists of several small spikelets2 there are eighteen on our stem4 ,they grow alternately on two opposite sides of the stem1 first one on one side1 then one on the other4 ,they have no stalk of their own2 they are sessile or seated on the stem4 ,as the spikelets are flat and grow on two sides of the stem only1 each stem looks as if it had been pressed in a book1 as perhaps you have sometimes pressed flowers4 ,the leaves are dark green1 glossy and shining4 ,on the under side of each leaf there is a prominent rib which extends the whole length4 ,this rib is one of the signs by which ,mr4 ,hammond can tell a blade of ,rye ,grass at once without seeing the flower4 ,this is one of the farmer's most useful grasses4 ,it forms a close thick carpet or sward1 and1 the more it is trodden on by animals grazing1 the better it seems to thrive4 ,here is another excellent grass1 with a flower quite different in appearance from the last4 ,it is called ,timothy ,grass4 ,it was first cultivated in ,america by a man named ,timothy ,hanson1 and it is now always known by his ,christian name4 ,mr4 ,hammond knows this1 and now you know it too2 but a good many farmers who have plenty of ,timothy ,grass in their fields do not know the reason of its name4 ,illustration3 ,,cowslip4 ,illustration3 ,,honeysuckle ,,and ,,wild ,,rose4 ,illustration3 ,,grasses4 #a4 ,cocksfoot2 #b4 ,sweet vernal2 #c4 ,meadow foxtail2 #d4 ,common ,timothy2 #e4 ,tufted hair2 #f4 ,common rye grass4 ,the spikelets of ,timothy are very small and grow in dense clusters at the end of the stem1 so that the blossom forms a kind of tail4 ,indeed ,timothy is sometimes called ,meadow ,catstail1 a name which gives a very good idea of its appearance4 ,this cluster or tail of spikelets is green and also rather rough to the touch4 ,notice these two points about it2 we shall see the reason presently4 ,the green leaves have a greyish tint and are broader than many grass leaves4 ,when cut and made into hay1 the leaves are rather stiff and hard4 ,timothy grows in good thick clumps1 but does not make a very spreading sward4 ,moist weather suits it best1 though it can stand a dry summer fairly well4 ,it is a late grass4 ,other grasses in the field are in full flower to-day1 but there are only a few ears of ,timothy to be seen2 its flowering-time is ,july4 ,in one way it is a valuable grass for hay2 it is heavy1 and hay is always sold by weight4 ,on the other hand ,timothy hay is rather hard4 ,now here is a grass something like ,timothy1 yet different in several ways4 ,it is ,meadow ,foxtail4 ,the ear formed by the cluster of spikelets is of the same shape as an ear of ,timothy1 like a round tail slightly pointed4 ,but the ear of ,timothy was green1 while this is a beautiful silvery grey4 ,timothy was rough2 the ear of ,meadow ,foxtail is very soft and silky to the touch4 ,the silkiness and the silvery grey colour are given to the ear by a soft hair called the awn which grows from each spikelet4 ,the leaves are broad and juicy1 and there are many of them4 ,meadow ,foxtail1 unlike ,timothy1 is an early grass2 you may find it in flower in ,april4 ,an early grass is always valuable to the farmer1 who wants herbage for his sheep and cattle after the long winter4 ,the ,foxtail1 moreover1 is a spreading grass4 ,some of its stems are prostrate2 they do not stand upright but creep along the ground4 ,from these prostrate stems fresh roots grow and produce fresh plants4 ,thus ,meadow ,foxtail makes a good sward4 ,another useful grass is ,cocksfoot4 ,each culm has four or five thick clusters of spikelets growing on small stalks of their own4 ,the clusters grow from the culm in a way which reminds us of the claw of a fowl2 that is the reason of the name4 ,cocksfoot is a tall and quick growing plant1 and both the stem and flower feel rough and hard4 ,the blue-green leaves are very juicy4 ,the root goes deep into the soil1 so that this grass resists drought well4 ,we must notice the ,sweet ,vernal ,grass1 though there is not much of it in the field2 for this grass1 when it is dry1 gives out much of the sweet scent we smell in or near a hay-field4 ,if we chew a stalk1 we notice the scent ourselves1 and animals like the pleasant flavour which it gives to hay4 ,though it is an early grass it also lasts till late in the autumn4 ,the spikelets make a cluster or tail at the end of the stalk1 but they do not grow so closely together as those of the ,timothy and ,meadow ,foxtail4 ,look at this ,tufted ,hair ,grass4 ,it is very pretty1 perhaps one of the prettiest grasses we have seen2 but the farmer looks upon it as a weed4 ,it has a large and spreading head of flower2 the spikelets grow on stems1 and become gradually smaller towards the top of the stalk4 ,the flower is purple1 with a shining silvery light upon it4 ,it grows in thick clumps or tussocks1 and cattle do not care about the leaves4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,in ,,the ,,hay-,,field 7continued7 ,there are many other grasses in the field2 some of them are useful1 while others the farmer would call weeds4 ,we must now look at other flowers1 and1 as the grass is so tall1 it will be better to choose tall flowers which can easily be seen4 ,we soon spy a ,thistle among the grass near the gate4 ,there are several kinds of ,thistle in ,england--the ,milk ,thistle1 the ,nodding ,thistle1 and some others4 ,this is the common ,field ,thistle4 ,it is far too common to please ,mr4 ,hammond or any other careful farmer4 ,it is true that it is only an annual2 but1 like the ,dandelion1 it has a pappus attached to its seed4 ,however hard ,mr4 ,hammond tries to get rid of thistles from his fields1 fresh seeds are constantly blown into them from thistles on the road-side banks1 or in the fields of farmers not so careful as himself4 ,it is very disheartening to a good farmer to have careless neighbours4 ,when ,mr4 ,hammond hears that a new tenant is coming to a neighbouring farm1 he always hopes that he will be a clean farmer--that he will try to keep his fields free from weeds4 ,the stiff stem of the ,thistle is often three or four feet tall1 and divides into smaller branches which bear a flower at the end4 ,these flowers are a little like those of the ,red ,clover2 each blossom has many small upright florets1 purplish-red in colour4 ,the leaves are not very tempting to touch1 but they are very interesting4 ,they are divided into several lobes or divisions1 and each lobe ends in a sharp point4 ,they have no leaf stem to connect them with the stalk of the plant4 ,what is curious about them is that they do not grow from a small point on the stalk4 ,they are decurrent1 or running along the stalk2 a broad strip at the base of each leaf is attached to the stalk4 ,docks too are far too numerous among the grass4 ,they are very troublesome weeds2 they are perennials1 and they also scatter a great deal of seed4 ,they have large clusters of small flowers without any true petals4 ,the leaves are very large and pointed1 growing on long leaf stems4 ,the stems of the ,dock are tough1 and they blunt the mowers' scythes and the knives of the mowing-machine4 ,some people have a good word even for the ,dock4 ,they say that a ,dock leaf wrapped round the part stung by a nettle will lessen the pain2 others advise us to rub the part with ,dock seed4 ,i do not think myself that either remedy has much effect2 but the leaves of the ,sorrel1 which is a relative of the ,dock1 will lessen the pain of nettle stings4 ,mrs4 ,hammond always uses ,dock leaves to wrap round the pats of butter which she sends to market4 ,above us1 in the hedge1 are two of the sweetest flowers of the farm4 ,the pink ,dog ,rose is one4 ,the petals of each blossom are five in number--what a number of five-petalled flowers we have seen6 ,the leaves have five1 or sometimes seven1 serrated leaflets1 one of which is always at the end of the leaf stem4 ,these leaflets are not always perfectly straight2 sometimes the pointed end turns a good deal to one side4 ,of course we want to gather some of the flowers--who does not want to gather ,roses8 ,we want some fully opened blossoms and many of the dainty buds4 ,but the straggling stems of the ,rose soon teach us the truth of the proverb3 ,no ,rose without a ,thorn4 ,the stems are thickly covered with thorns2 these are not only sharp1 but hooked as well1 and we do not get our bunch of roses without a scratch or two4 ,the other beauty of the hedge is the ,honey-suckle--a lovely flower which may also be a dangerous weed4 ,the tight grasp of its strong twining stem will soon seriously injure any young tree to which it clings4 ,here it is doing little harm1 and we need only think of the clusters of fragrant flowers4 ,each cluster grows at the end of a stalk4 ,some are pale pink1 others golden yellow1 while some are almost white4 ,after the blossom comes the bright red berry which contains the seed4 ,the leaves grow in pairs4 ,those low down on the stem have leaf stalks1 but the upper ones are sessile on the stem4 ,taking care not to trample the grass1 we have strolled down the hedge-side till we have reached the other end of the field1 where there is a ditch4 ,at once there is a fragrant scent in the air--a scent like that of almonds4 ,it is the ,meadow ,sweet which grows on the banks of streams or damp ditches4 ,illustration3 ,,meadow ,,sweet4 ,it is a beautiful plant1 as well as a fragrant one4 ,at the top of the tall stems are large clusters of small five-petalled flowers1 creamy-white4 ,the stem itself is handsome2 it is often three or four feet high1 smooth1 stout1 and of a reddish colour4 ,the large leaves grow alternately on the stem2 they are made up of several pairs of leaflets with a single leaflet at the end4 ,the upper surface of the leaves is dark green1 but the under side is generally covered with a soft white down4 ,the scent of ,meadow ,sweet is very pleasant in the field to-day1 but ,i think we should find it rather too strong if we took a bunch into the house4 ,yet ,queen ,elizabeth is said to have loved ,meadow ,sweet strewn on the floors of her apartments4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,in ,,the ,,corn-,,field ,one morning early in ,july1 while we are having breakfast at ,willow ,farm1 we ask ,mr4 ,hammond if he thinks we shall find any flowers in his wheat-field4 ,the farmer laughs and says he hopes we shall not1 but he is very much afraid that we shall4 ,as we are here on purpose to look for flowers we are glad to find them anywhere4 ,mr4 ,hammond thinks more about his crops than about flowers1 and does not care to see a single blossom in his corn1 however pretty it may be4 ,we are soon at the field1 and there is no mistake about the flowers being there too4 ,close to the gate1 where the wheat is not quite so thick as elsewhere1 there is a splendid patch of scarlet poppies4 ,this is perhaps the very brightest wild flower that we have4 ,some plants1 as we have seen1 are annuals1 others are perennials4 ,an annual only lives for one year4 ,the plant springs up from the seed1 grows through the summer1 and in the autumn or the winter dies4 ,a perennial lives for many years4 ,the flowers fade and fall as those of annuals do2 even the leaves and stems may droop and die4 ,the roots and lower part of the stem do not die2 they live in the ground through the winter1 and in the following year fresh stems appear4 ,the ,white ,clover which we found in ,ashmead is a perennial1 the ,crimson ,clover is an annual4 ,if you sowed a patch of your garden with ,poppy seed you would have the flowers growing there year after year4 ,you might therefore say1 ,surely the ,poppy is a perennial4 ,i only sowed the seed one year1 yet the poppies appear again and again4 ,that is because the plants sowed their own seed4 ,the flowers faded2 then the seed-cases shed their seed upon the ground4 ,next spring the seeds produced fresh plants4 ,most annual wild flowers sow their own seed in this way1 but we must not mistake them for perennials because year after year they grow in the same place4 ,in your patch of garden you can easily prevent the poppies from growing more than one year if you wish to do so4 ,all that is necessary is to pick off every flower before it fades4 ,then no seed will fall and you will be rid of the poppies4 ,mr4 ,hammond might do the same1 you think1 if he wishes to rid his field of poppies4 ,but you see there are many poppies growing among the wheat all through the field4 ,to get at each plant and cut off all the flowers would trample down the wheat and do more harm than good4 ,all that the farmer can do is to have as many weeds as possible hoed up while the wheat is young and short4 ,even then many more come up later in the spring4 ,the seeds of the ,poppy have no pappus like those of the ,thistle and some other plants2 they are not blown far away by the wind1 but fall close to the plant4 ,there are1 however1 an immense number of very tiny seeds in each seed-case1 as we see by opening the round cup-like case on a stem from which the flower has fallen4 ,this great number of seeds adds to the difficulty of getting rid of poppies4 ,we1 ,i am afraid1 are hardly sorry that the poppies are among the corn to-day4 ,the glorious scarlet blossoms give a rich fiery tint to the whole field4 ,on a ,poppy plant close to the gate there are several blossoms4 ,some of them are fully open1 some of them are still only buds4 ,you see a difference between the open flowers and the buds at once4 ,the open flowers stand upright on the stalk2 the buds hang down4 ,here is a bud just opening4 ,the green case1 called the calyx1 which contains the scarlet petals1 is already partly open2 it is splitting in half1 and the flower will soon be out4 ,then the calyx will fall off4 ,here is a blossom from which the calyx has just dropped4 ,the four large scarlet petals1 two of which are slightly larger than the other two1 have lain inside all crumpled up--not neatly folded as is the case with most flowers4 ,yet in a very short time after the calyx has dropped off1 the sap will flow into the petals and will smooth them out4 ,they will be as glossy1 smooth1 and shining as the other blossoms fully open on the plant4 ,the brilliant ,poppy is more beautiful than useful--to the farmer and the bees at any rate4 ,most flowers contain nectar1 but the ,poppy has none at all4 ,if the bees come to it1 it is for the dusty yellow pollen to make into wax4 ,the seed pods of some flowers open when ripe1 and the seeds fall out4 ,in others the pod or case does not open but rots away4 ,the ,poppy has a different way of scattering its seed4 ,there is a ring of tiny holes in the seed case1 and through these holes the seed is shaken out4 ,the leaves are long1 but vary a good deal in size and shape4 ,the stems are covered with stiff and bristly hairs4 ,,chapter ,x ,,in ,,the ,,corn-,,field 7continued7 ,besides the poppies there is ,charlock in the field2 not much1 ,mr4 ,hammond will be glad to know1 for he has been trying for many years to get rid of this plant altogether4 ,pretty as the yellow blossoms of the ,charlock are1 it is one of the most troublesome weeds which the farmer has to fight4 ,it is only an annual certainly1 and each seed-pod holds no more than six or seven seeds4 ,the seeds1 however1 are oily1 and this oiliness preserves them4 ,if they are ploughed deep into the ground1 they may live there for several years1 and will produce a plant when turned up again by the plough or the scuffle4 ,mr4 ,hammond tells me that some years ago this field was full of ,charlock1 and in the early summer there would be more ,charlock than wheat to be seen4 ,this is how he got rid of it4 ,every year he ploughed the field and got it ready for the crop as early as possible4 ,then the ,charlock sprang up before the crop of corn or turnips was sown2 thus it could be rooted out4 ,still1 as we see to-day1 there is a little left1 though it is growing less each year4 ,charlock is wild mustard4 ,there is more seed than blossom here to-day1 for the flowering time for ,charlock is in ,june4 ,if we chew some seed from a pod1 we shall find it hot and biting to the tongue4 ,in some parts of ,england many farmers grow mustard as one of their crops4 ,near ,willow ,farm some farmers grow mustard as a catch-crop4 ,they sow it in autumn1 as soon as another crop has been taken off the field4 ,in the spring it is eaten by sheep1 or else it is ploughed in4 ,a catch-crop ploughed in like this enriches the land4 ,moreover a number of weeds are buried with the catch-crop before they have time to blossom and to shed their seed4 ,the yellow blossom of the ,charlock is pretty1 and the ,poppy is the finest scarlet wild flower we have4 ,there is a third flower among the wheat to-day1 the beautiful blue ,corn ,flower or ,corn ,bluebottle4 ,it is no more welcome to the farmer than the ,poppy and the ,charlock are4 ,it is a perennial1 and therefore difficult to get rid of4 ,moreover when we pull up a stem we find it quite hard work1 it is so tough4 ,these tough stems blunt the sickles of the reapers and the knives of the reaping machine4 ,illustration left3 ,,creeping ,,field ,,thistle4 ,illustration right3 ,,field ,,scabious4 ,illustration left3 ,,evergreen ,,alkanet4 ,illustration center3 ,,cornflower4 ,illustration right3 ,,smaller ,,bindweed4 ,illustration3 ,,charlock4 ,to us it is only a very beautiful flower4 ,the florets in the centre of each blossom are dark purple1 but the outer ones are of a brighter blue4 ,the leaves are long and narrow2 those near the bottom of the stem are rather broader than those higher up4 ,the stems themselves are not round1 but angular4 ,we can feel corners or angles as we hold one in our hand4 ,they are also covered with a kind of down4 ,there is another flower which we shall see better if we come to the stubble field after the wheat is cut2 but some of it is near the gate to-day4 ,this is the ,smaller ,bindweed4 ,we see that it is a relation of the ,large ,bindweed in the garden hedge4 ,it has leaves and flowers of the same shape1 but the flowers are smaller1 and are pink and white4 ,those of the ,large ,bindweed are rarely anything but pure white4 ,this is another troublesome weed here4 ,it does not climb1 as the ,large ,bindweed does1 but creeps along the ground1 twining round everything it meets4 ,in the potato field it is often even more troublesome than here4 ,corn is cut1 but potatoes are dug out of the ground4 ,the ,small ,bindweed forms such a thick carpet over the field1 and twines round the potato stems so closely1 that it is often very difficult to dig up the potatoes4 ,here is another little flower which ,i am glad to show you now1 the ,scarlet ,pimpernel4 ,this and the ,poppy are the only scarlet wild flowers we have4 ,there are many pink1 and also many purple flowers1 but only these two are really scarlet4 ,the ,pimpernel differs from the ,poppy in almost everything except its colour4 ,the ,poppy has a tall stout stem and its blossoms are very large4 ,the ,pimpernel trails on the ground and has tiny flowers4 ,the blossoms of the ,poppy have four petals1 those of the ,pimpernel have five4 ,these are a beautiful scarlet1 but not quite so bright a scarlet as those of the ,poppy4 ,the leaves grow in pairs1 and the small bare stalks which carry a flower at their ends spring from the stem beside the leaves4 ,the leaves are sessile on the stem4 ,turning a leaf over we find that on its under side are black or dark purple spots4 ,illustration3 ,,pimpernel4 ,the blossoms of the ,pimpernel close up when rain is near1 and it is often called the ,poor ,man's ,weatherglass4 ,sometimes1 but very rarely1 a plant is found which has pink1 or even pure white blossoms4 ,there is also a blue ,pimpernel4 ,another ,pimpernel is the ,bog ,pimpernel2 but we shall not find it in this dry field of corn1 as you may guess by the name4 ,one more flower we will look at1 and then it will be time to leave our corn-field and to search elsewhere4 ,growing on the hedgebank at the side of the field is a pretty lilac-blue flower on a long bare stalk4 ,it is the ,field ,scabious4 ,the blossoms are in shape like a round ball very much flattened--like a round pincushion4 ,there are no large petals here1 as with the ,poppy1 but a great number of small florets4 ,those on the outer edge of the blossom are larger than those inside4 ,each floret is a tiny tube or pipe4 ,the leaves are on separate stalks from those which bear the flowers1 and they grow in pairs4 ,they are divided into several pairs of lobes1 with a single lobe at the end of each leaf4 ,some leaves grow from that part of the stem which is underground1 and these are larger than the others1 and are sometimes of a different shape4 ,both the leaves and the stem are hairy4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,on ,,the ,,chase ,we have now seen a good many ,flowers of the ,farm2 we have found them in the coppice1 on the garden wall1 and in the fields4 ,to-day we will go a little further off1 three miles away4 ,you say1 ,surely that is a long way off for the farmer to have a field4 ,it is not exactly a field4 ,the ,chase is a great open common or moor1 which belongs to the village or parish where ,willow ,farm is4 ,nearly all the people of the village have certain rights of pasturage on it2 they may let their horses and cattle and sheep graze there4 ,every now and then ,mr4 ,hammond sends some of his sheep to the ,chase to feed there for a few weeks4 ,it is very high dry ground1 and that is good for sheep4 ,the road runs through the middle of the great common without any hedge or fence on either side4 ,there are horses and sheep and cattle here on this ,may morning2 donkeys too4 ,all the sheep are marked1 and we soon see some which belong to ,willow ,farm2 they are stamped on the back in large letters ,w4,h4 for ,william ,hammond4 ,a farmer easily knows his own horses and cows2 sheep are less easy to recognise1 and are usually marked4 ,illustration3 ,,gorse4 ,one of the flowers of the ,chase we see at once4 ,in whatever direction we look across the common there is a perfect blaze of gold--the blossoms of the prickly ,gorse or ,furze4 ,spring is the time to see its mass of golden yellow blossoms best2 but ,i do not think there is a week1 or even a day1 in the whole year when some of the flowers are not out4 ,did you ever hear the saying1 ,kissing is out of season when the ,gorse is out of bloom4 ,that is never6 ,the ,gorse flowers are beautiful and their scent is sweet4 ,as to gathering them1 however1 there is a terrible difficulty4 ,the flowers grow among long sharp spikes which cover the stems closely2 you would almost as soon gather nettles6 ,there are very few real leaves1 and they are small and not easily seen2 but the thorns are beautiful to look at1 if not to touch--they are such a rich dark green4 ,nor is ,gorse a useless plant4 ,if the prickly stems are bruised or mashed a little they form a fodder which animals like4 ,indeed1 a pony near us seems to enjoy them as they are2 he is tearing off and eating piece after piece from a ,gorse bush4 ,his mouth must be less tender than ours6 ,later in the summer we visit the ,chase again to find some flowers that were not out in ,may4 ,on our way we pass a potato field in blossom--a very pretty sight4 ,these blossoms are a palish purple1 but sometimes the potato flowers are white4 ,the ,hairbell is a flower which we shall now find on the ,chase--a great contrast to the stout and thorny bush of ,gorse4 ,the ,hairbell's stem is almost as slender as a thread1 although it stands upright4 ,each blossom is a dainty little blue bell of five petals4 ,white blossoms are sometimes found1 but not often4 ,there are leaves as well as flowers on the stem4 ,growing from the lower part of the stem1 close to the ground1 we may perhaps find some broader1 rounder leaves2 perhaps not1 however1 for these lower leaves soon wither and die away4 ,illustration3 ,,hairbell4 ,the ,hairbell loves to grow where there is fresh pure air4 ,here on the ,chase we are high up2 it has been a long steep climb from ,willow ,farm1 and we are more than five hundred feet above sea level4 ,far below us1 a few miles away1 we see a broad river on which steamers and sailing-ships are passing up and down4 ,away to the west is the sea1 from which a breeze is nearly always blowing across the ,chase4 ,no wonder that the little ,hairbell loves the spot4 ,we have found a yellow flower and a blue one on the ,chase1 and now we have not far to look for something red4 ,here is a clump of ,heath or ,ling1 and not far off a patch of ,heather too4 ,we must be careful to distinguish ,heath from ,heather2 let us look at the ,heath first4 ,on the ,heath1 as on the ,hairbell1 we find bell-shaped flowers2 but the blossoms of the ,heath are very small1 and grow from a tough woody stem4 ,they are a reddish-purple4 ,on little side branches growing from the stems are the very tiny leaves4 ,the whole plant is low1 bushy1 and spreading4 ,illustration3 ,,heath ,,and ,,heather4 ,the flowers of the ,heather are rather larger1 deep crimson in colour1 and grow in clusters4 ,on the flower stems grow very small narrow leaves2 there are generally three of them together and they do not grow so thickly as the leaves of ,heath4 ,among these leaves are some that are made up of several leaflets4 ,gorse1 ,heather1 and ,heath are spreading plants1 and1 if they were allowed to grow unchecked1 they would soon smother and destroy the turf4 ,every few years therefore the ,chase is burnt4 ,in winter or spring both ,gorse and ,heath burn easily1 the fire spreading fast from one patch to another4 ,the smoke of the burning ,chase may then be seen from many miles away4 ,when the fire has burnt out1 the ,chase looks very black and dismal4 ,but the roots and underground stems of both the ,heather and the ,gorse are still alive4 ,fresh shoots will grow1 and soon the ,gorse will be golden in the spring1 the ,heather purple in the summer1 as they were before4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,in ,,the ,,lanes ,this is the last day that we can spend in looking for wild flowers at ,willow ,farm4 ,perhaps some of you already knew something about flowers before this visit4 ,if so1 you may have been disappointed that we have not seen some favourite flower of your own4 ,you may think we have passed over many flowers which deserved to be noticed4 ,for that matter ,i think every wild flower deserves to be noticed2 but we certainly should not have time for all4 ,i showed you several plants growing on the walls and roof1 because it was interesting to see that quite beautiful flowers1 such as the ,wallflower and the ,houseleek1 could grow with very little soil4 ,we looked rather closely at the ,clovers and at the ,grasses in the hay-field1 because these plants are important to the farmer2 they are part of his crops4 ,then1 too1 we noticed several weeds which do him harm4 ,to-day ,i am going to take a kind of holiday4 ,i shall show you three flowers1 not because they have much to do with the farmer1 but because they are great favourites of my own4 ,none of these are very common at ,willow ,farm1 although ,i know where to find each one4 ,we will go first down the little stony lane which leads from near the foldyard gate to the cottages where the shepherd and the bailiff live4 ,here we shall find the ,alkanet4 ,it is a perennial1 and it blossoms here year after year4 ,i only know one other place in the village where it grows4 ,like some other flowers we have seen1 it is not really a native of ,england4 ,it has a very beautiful blue blossom1 a little like the blossom of the ,forget-me-not which perhaps you know1 but the flower of the ,alkanet is of a deeper1 richer blue4 ,here again1 as with so many other flowers we have seen1 the blossom is formed of the five lobes of a corolla4 ,in the centre of each blue blossom is a small white spot4 ,the blossoms grow in little clusters on a short stalk1 and on this stalk there is always one pair of small leaves4 ,the leaves on the main stems of the plant are larger2 the lower leaves have stalks1 but those on the upper part of the stem are sessile4 ,the leaves are hairy1 and so are the stems1 which often grow two or three feet high4 ,we saw that the ,poppy and the ,pimpernel were the only two true scarlet wild flowers of our fields4 ,in the same way there is only one other ,english wild flower which has such a deep blue blossom as the ,alkanet4 ,that is the ,borage2 and the ,borage1 like the ,alkanet1 is not really a native of ,england4 ,for a fine golden yellow flower ,i do not know anything which can beat the ,dandelion4 ,if we have not seen every wild flower which grows at ,willow ,farm1 we have at any rate seen three which have the deepest and richest colours4 ,now for my next favourite4 ,this time we go to the shady lane leading from ,willow ,farm to the church2 that is the only place near here where ,i have found the ,lesser ,periwinkle4 ,there is also a ,larger ,periwinkle1 very similar to my favourite here1 except in size4 ,illustration3 ,,lesser ,,periwinkle4 ,to find the ,periwinkle in full flower we should have to come in spring1 but1 though it is ,july now1 we shall still find a blossom here and there1 ,i hope4 ,even in winter we might do so too4 ,the ,lesser ,periwinkle has a blue flower1 but the blue is a pale lilac blue4 ,here again the petals are really the five spreading lobes of the corolla4 ,there is something curious about these lobes4 ,they are of a peculiar irregular shape that is not easy to describe2 they are not exactly pointed1 and they are not regular in shape4 ,you could cut the petal of a ,buttercup into two equal parts2 it would be almost impossible to do this with the lobes of the ,periwinkle blossom4 ,the leaves are dark green1 glossy and pointed1 and they grow in pairs4 ,often1 however1 we find two pairs of leaves growing so closely together that they seem to grow in fours4 ,the leaves are evergreen2 they do not fade and die in autumn4 ,some of the ,periwinkle stems are erect and are about six inches high2 others are creeping4 ,it is only the erect stems which bear flowers2 the creeping ones are barren4 ,they do useful work1 however1 for they form fresh roots1 as we have seen the stalks of some other plants do4 ,in this way the whole bank beside the lane has become covered with the pretty plant4 ,the ,periwinkle is a comparatively small plant4 ,the last flower--the ,foxglove--that we shall see at ,willow ,farm is quite different4 ,it is a very tall plant4 ,it is generally described as growing from three to five feet high1 but ,i have seen a stem of eight or nine feet4 ,we shall find it growing on the hedgebank in ,little ,orchard1 and it also often grows in woods4 ,some plants1 as we know1 are annuals1 others are perennials4 ,the ,foxglove is neither2 it is a biennial--that is a two years' plant4 ,if you sow ,foxglove seed you will have no flowers the first year1 only a root and a great bunch of leaves4 ,in the second year tall stems which bear the flowers will appear4 ,in the autumn after it has flowered the ,foxglove generally dies1 though sometimes it may live for another year1 or even two4 ,foxgloves1 of course1 will reproduce themselves by seed1 as annuals and perennials do4 ,illustration3 ,,foxglove4 ,the ,foxglove is something different from anything that we have seen as yet4 ,the flowers grow on short flower stalks and hang down from the tall stems1 a great many on each stem4 ,here there are no petals1 but what we see and admire so much is the bell-shaped corolla1 purple-red in colour4 ,this purple bell is spotted with white inside4 ,bell-shaped is perhaps not a very good description2 the flower is more like a large thimble or the finger of a glove4 ,a glove for a fox--that is the meaning of the name1 you perhaps say4 ,no1 it has nothing to do with a fox4 ,many years ago nearly everyone believed in ,fairies1 and the ,fairies were often called the ,good ,folk or ,good ,people4 ,it is they1 and not the fox1 who were supposed to use the purple blossoms as a glove4 ,if you say ,folk's ,glove quickly1 you will see how easily it comes to sound ,foxglove4 ,so our last thought among the flowers is of the ,fairies1 in whose existence hardly anyone believes to-day4