ou watch the different kinds of grasses, sedges, and rushes, which
have such tiny flowers that you can scarcely see them, you will find
that no insects visit them. Neither will you ever find bees buzzing
round oak trees, elms, or birches. But on the pretty and sweet-smelling
apple blossoms you will find bees, wasps, and other insects.

The reason of this is that grasses, sedges, rushes, and oak trees have a
great deal of pollen dust. As the wind blows them to and fro it wafts
the dust from one flower to another. And so these plants do not need to
give out honey, or to have gaudy or sweet-scented flowers to attract
insects.

But the brilliant poppy, the large-flowered hollyhock, the flaunting
dandelion, and the bright blue forget-me-not,--all these are visited by
insects, which easily catch sight of them and hasten to sip their honey.

We must not forget what the fragrance of the flowers can do. Have you
ever noticed the delicious odor which comes from beds of mignonette,
mint, or sweet alyssum? These plants have found another way of
attracting the insects; they have no need of bright colors, for their
fragrance is quite as true and certain a guide. You will be surprised if
you once begin to count them up, how many dull-looking flowers are
sweet-scented, while some gaudy flowers have little or no scent. Still
we find some flowers, like the beautiful lily, the lovely rose, and the
delicate hyacinth, which have color and fragrance and graceful shapes
all combined.

But there are still other ways by which flowers secure the visits of
insects. Have you not observed that different flowers open and close at
different times? The daisy receives its name "day's eye" because it
opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, while the evening primrose
spreads out its flowers just as the daisy is going to bed.

What do you think is the reason of this? If you go near a bed of evening
primroses just when the sun is setting, you will soon be able to guess.
They will then give out such a sweet odor that you will not doubt for a
moment that they are calling the evening moths to come and visit them.
The daisy, however, opens by day and is therefore visited by day
insects.

Again, some flowers close whenever rain is coming. Look at the daisies
when a storm is threatening. As the sky grows dark and heavy, you will
see them shrink and close till the sun shines again. They do this
because in the center of the flower there is a drop of honey whi