CHAPTER XXXVI.
EXCURSIONS AND COLLECTING
When you plan an excursion do not take your collecting tin and a “Flora” in which to look up the names of all you find, and then imagine that you are fully prepared for a day’s botanising. It is, of course, a very useful thing to learn the names of the flowers you find, because you cannot even speak of a plant if you do not know its name, but the ~mere~ naming is in reality the least interesting and important thing about them, as you will know if you have followed the study of plants in the way suggested in this book.
~In arranging an excursion~, or what is far better, a series of excursions into the country, ~the most important thing to have is a plan of action~. Do not wander aimlessly in the woods, attracted from side to side by all that comes in your way; choose rather some special set of things to collect and study. If there are several of you together, then each one should have a particular subject about which to make notes and collections; then afterwards all the members of the excursion party should meet together and compare their results, and show each other any interesting specimens obtained.
Each person should be provided with:--A tin collecting-box, a strong knife or digger, a note-book, pencil, and magnifying-glass, some string, and a fine knife.
In case you find it difficult to decide on special things to do, here is a list of a few of the many suitable subjects which may be chosen. The list is not at all complete, but it may give you a few ideas at the beginning of your field-work.
1. In the early spring, study particularly all the plants which are flowering. Dig up complete specimens of all the smaller plants, and notice how many of them have some special means of storing food underground through the winter, such as ~bulbs~, ~tubers~, and so on. This stored food makes it possible for the flowers to bloom before the leaves have done any work, a thing which would be impossible in the case of ordinary young plants. Our “early” spring flowers are really ~late~ flowerers, as they bloom on the result of the food made in the previous year. Make drawings, or press a series of these.
2. Collect buds and opening buds, getting series of scales from the outer hard ones to the inner developed leaves, and press them.
3. Notice, and make sketches of, the different ways in which leaves are folded in buds: the fan-like beech, the coiled fern, and so on.
4. Collect seedlings; notice specially those of trees. Study the form of their earlier leaves, which are generally simpler than the mature ones.
5. In summer, collect as many forms as possible of full-grown leaves. Compare and classify them according to their nature and shape: those which are simple or compound, and then in more detail. Dry and mount a series of representative ones.
6. Study very particularly flowers in relation to their insect visitors. For this it is better to remain a long time in one place, so that it is not so good for a general excursion, but is splendid if you can get off for an early excursion by yourself, or with one or two companions.
7. Make collections and lists of all climbing plants, noting by what means they climb.
8. Keep a list for the whole year of the colours of the flowers as they come out, noting in general which are the most characteristic for the different seasons.
9. Collect fruits, and arrange them according to the way they scatter the seeds.
10. When the leaves are falling, notice where they break away, and what form of scars they leave. In the case of compound leaves, whether they fall off whole or in parts.
11. Collect series of plants which are growing together in different places, e.g., those in a woodland glade, those at the edge of a pond, those on a sandy hill, and so on. Dry them by pressure between sheets of paper, and mount them, noting how their forms correspond to their surroundings.
12. Go to the same spot in a wood in spring, summer, autumn, and winter; make notes and drawings of what you see each time. In the spring there will be a carpet of flowers under the bare trees, note what happens in the summer, and later on.
* * * * *
These suggestions are only a beginning, and special problems will arise of their own accord in connection with the work you are doing, till you find that the real excursion becomes the most interesting and important part of your work. If we go to the plants themselves and ask them to teach us, they will never fail to give us the chance of learning lessons of ever-increasing interest.
INDEX
~The roman numbers refer to the pages, and italicised numbers to the figures~
A
Absorption by roots, 33, ~21~, ~22~
Adventitious roots, 56, ~40~, 57, ~41~
Alcohol, 24
Algæ, 141
Algæ in ditches, 151
Algæ in the sea, 143, ~134~, 173
Ampelopsis, 108, ~105~
Animals eaten by plants, 114
Animals, life of, 3, 7
Anther, 80, 81
Assimilation (~see~ Food building)
Associations of plants, 152, 189
Axil of leaf, 75, ~66~
B
Bacteria, 144
Bean seeds, 8, ~3~, 9, ~4~
Bean seedlings, 10, ~6~, 11, ~7~
Bean seedlings grown in dark, 38, ~27~
Bean seedlings, growth of, 41, ~28~
Beech leaf, 65
Bees and flowers, 119
Bidens, fruits of, 90, ~87~
Bilberry, 154
Bladderwort, 116, ~113~, ~114~
Bladderwrack, 144, ~135~, 173, ~Pl. VII.~
Bog-land, 156
Bracken fern, 133, ~Pl. I.~
Bramble, 63, ~49~
Bread, starch in, 11
Breathing of animals, 6, ~2~
Breathing of plants, 5, ~1~, 96
Breathing pores, 96, ~96~
Broom, 62
Broomrape, 113, ~109~
Buds, 72
Buds of fern, 134, ~127~
Buds of horse chestnut, 72, ~62~, ~63~
Buds, overlapping scales of, 73, ~63~, ~64~
Bud scales, 74, ~65~
Bud scars, 75, ~66~
Buds of sycamore, 75, ~66~
Buds, unfolding of, 72, ~62~
Bulbs, 77, ~68~
Bulrushes, 151, ~138~
Bulrushes, rhizome of, 161, ~143~
Bur, fruit of, 90, ~86~
Buttercup, flower of, 82, ~76~
Buttercup, water-, 159, ~141~
Butterwort, 115, ~112~
C
Cactus, 2, 62, ~48~, 99
Calcium phosphate, 15
Calcium sulphate, 15
Calyx, 79, ~70~
Canadian water-plant, 21, ~13~
Capsule of moss, 139, ~131~
Capsule of poppy, 89, ~85~
Carbon, 19, 23
Carbonic acid gas, 6, 19, 24, 27
Carex, 166, ~146~
Carpel, 82, ~76~, ~77~, ~78~
Carrot, 55, ~38~
Caustic potash, 20, ~12~
Cells, 92, ~91~
Cherry flower, 82, ~78~
Cherry fruit, 88, ~82~
Cherry leaf, 64, ~50~
Cherry leaf arrangement, 69, ~58~
Cherry stipules, 64, ~50~
Chlorophyll, 17, 24, 27
Circulation of water, 28
Climbing plants, 104
Climbing assisted by roots, 106, ~101~
Climbing by tendrils, 107, ~104~, 108, ~105~
Climbing by twining stem, 106, ~102~, 107, ~103~
Clover attacked by dodder, 110, ~106~, ~107~
Club-moss, 137
Coal, 153, 178
Collecting, 194
Colour of petals, 80
Cones of pine, 127, 128, ~123~
“Control plant,” 16
Convolvulus, twining of, 106, ~102~
Cork, 95
Cornflower, 121, ~122~
Cotyledons of bean, 9, ~4~
Cotyledons of pine, 129, 130, ~126~
Cotyledons of rose, 66, ~54~
Cow-wheat, 113
D
Dahlia, roots of, 56, ~39~
Daisy, flower of, 121, ~121~
Dandelion, fruit of, 88, ~83~
Darkness, effect on growth of, 38, ~27~
Dead nettle, 68, ~56~, 149, ~137~
Deserts, 100
Dicotyledons, 126
Distilled water, 15
Ditches, 150
Dodder, 110, ~106~, ~107~
Downs, 183
Duckweed, 151, ~139~, 161
Drowning, of trees, 185, ~154~, ~155~
E
Elder tree, twig of, 96, ~96~
Elodea, 21, ~13~
Embryo, 9
Excursions, 194
Eyebright, 113
F
Ferns, bud of, 134, ~127~
Ferns, family of, 133
Ferns, fossil, 179, ~152~, 181
Ferns, prothallium of, 135, ~129~
Ferns, spore-cases of, 135, ~128~
Ferns, “sporeling” of, 136
Flowers, 78
Flowers in relation to insects, 118
Flowering family, 125
Food-building in leaves, 23
Food materials, 14, 18
Food solutions, 15
Fossils, 179, ~151~
Fossils, tree, 180, ~153~
Foxglove flower, 119, ~117~
Foxglove in hedges, 146, ~Pl. IV.~
Fruits, 86
Fucus, (~see also~ Bladderwrack), 173, ~Pl. VII.~
Fungi, 109
Fungi, spores of, 143
Fungi, structure of, 142, ~133~
G
Goose-grass, leaves of, 69, ~60~
Goose-grass, fruit of, 90, ~87~
Gorse, 102, ~99~
Gorse, flowers of, 119, ~119~
Grass, leaves of 66
Grass, roots of, 54, ~37~
Gravitation, 44
Growth, 40
Growth, direction of, 41, ~29~, 43, ~30~
Growth, region of, 40, ~28~
H
Hairs, 96
Harebell, 78, ~69~
Heather, 154
Hedges, 147, ~Pl. IV.~
Holly, 54, ~36~
Honeysuckle, leaves of, 68, ~57~
Hop, 106
Horse chestnut, buds of, 72, ~62~
Horsetail, leaves of, 69, ~59~
Horsetail, family of, 137
I
Indiarubber tree, leaves of, 31, ~20~
Insects and flowers, 83
Iodine, 11
Iron chloride, 16
Iron, importance of, 17
Ivy, adventitious roots of, 56, ~40~
Ivy, climbing of, 106, ~101~
Ivy as host plant, 112, ~109~
Ivy, leaves of, 65
Ivy, position of leaves of, 37, ~26~
L
Lake or pond-maps, 193
Lamina of leaf, 64, ~50~
Laminarias, 175, ~149~
Larch, branching of, 59, ~44~
Larch, family of, 127
Larch, seed-scales of, 128, ~124~
Larch, tufts of leaves of, 76, ~67~
Leaves, 64
Leaves, arrangement as regards light, 36, ~25~, 37, ~26~
Leaves, arrangement on stem, 68
Leaves, compound, 65, ~51~
Leaves, form of, 64, ~50~
Leaves, “Mosaic,” 37
Leaves, no growth without CO_{2}, 20
Leaves, simple, 64, ~50~
Leaves, veins of, 67, ~55~
Lenticels of, 96, ~96~
Life, signs of, 4
Light, 35
Light from one side, 35, ~23~, 36, ~24~
Light, influence on position of leaves, 36, ~24~, ~25~
Light, influence on size of leaves, 38, ~27~
Light, influence of, in formation of starch in leaves, 24
Lime-tree, stem of, 94, ~95~
Lime-water, 6, ~2~, 20, ~12~
Linear leaves, 66
Liverworts, 140, ~132~
Louse-wort, 113
M
Magnesium sulphate, 15
Maize, seeds of, 10, ~5~
Maize, seedlings of, 10, ~5~, 13, ~8~
Maps of plants, 188
Marram grass (~see~ Sandgrass), 166, ~145~
Mistletoe, 112, ~108~
Monkshood, 119, ~118~
Monocotyledons, 126
Moorland, 153, ~140~, 184
Moss, 138, ~130~
Moss in bogs, 156
Moss, capsule of, 139, ~131~
Moss, spores of, 140
Movement caused by light, 36, ~24~
Movement of minute plants, 48
Movement of sensitive plants, 46, ~33~, ~34~, ~35~
Movement of plants in sleep, 46, ~32~
Movement of tendrils, 45, ~31~
N
Nasturtium, movement of leaves, 36, ~24~
Nasturtium, shape of leaves, 65, ~52~
Nasturtium, twining of petioles, 106, ~103~
Needle leaves, 66, ~53~
Nepenthes, 117, ~115~
Nitrogen, 19
Nucleus of cells, 92, ~91~
Nurse leaves (~see~ Cotyledons)
O
Oak, branching of, 59, ~43~
Orchid, roots of, 57, ~41~
Ovate leaves, 65
Oxygen, 19, 21, ~13~, 22
P
Palm, 57, ~42~
Palmate leaves, 66
Parasites, 109
Pea-flowers, 86, ~80~
Pea-fruits, 87, ~81~
Pea-pod (~see~ Pod)
Pea-tendrils on leaf, 107, ~104~
Pea-tendrils, movement of, 45, ~31~
Peat, 155, 179
Peltate leaves, 65, ~52~
Petals, 80, 121, ~121~, ~122~
Petiole, 64, ~50~
Petiole, twining of, 107, ~103~
Physical geography, 182
Pine-cones, 128, ~123~
Pine-family, 127
Pine-leaf, 66, ~53~
Pine-seeds, 129, ~125~
Pine-seedlings, 129, ~126~
Pitcher plants, 117, ~115~
Plantation of trees, 155
Pod of pea, 87, ~81~
Pollen, 81, 120, 127
Pollination, 83, 118
Pollination, arrangements to ensure cross-, 120, ~120~
Pond-maps, ~see~ Lake
Ponds, 159, ~Pl. V.~ 185, ~154~, ~155~
Poppy, ~Pl. II.~
Poppy capsule, 89, ~85~
Pores giving off water vapour, 31
Pores in stems, 96
Potassium iodide, 11
Potassium nitrate, 15
Potato, starch in, 11
Potato, underground stem of, 61, ~47~
Primrose flower, 80, ~72~, 84, ~79~, 120, ~120~
Prothallium, 135, ~129~, 139
R
Receptacle of flower, 82, ~76~, ~78~
Reeds, 162, ~144~
Rhizome, 61, ~46~, 161, ~143~
Rice, starch in, 11
Roots, adventitious, 56, ~40~, 57, ~41~
Roots, entrance of water into, 33, ~21~, ~22~
Roots, forms of, 54
Root-hairs, 13, ~8~, 15, ~9~
Root pressure, 34
Roots of seedlings, 9
Roots, stilt-, 57, ~42~
Roots, storage in, 55, ~38~, 56, ~39~
Roots, uses of, 53
Rose, flowers of, 79, ~70~, ~71~, 118, ~116~
Rose-leaf, 65, ~51~
Rose-seedling, 66, ~54~
Runners of strawberries, 63
Rushes, 162, ~144~
S
Salts, 14, 17, 27
Sandgrass (~see~ Marram), 102, ~100~, 165, ~145~
Sea, 174
Sea holly, 168, ~147~
Seaweeds, 143, ~134~, ~135~, 173
Seaweeds, colour in, 176
Section of pond, 192, ~154~
Section of stems, 93, ~92~
Seedlings, bean, 10, ~6~, 40, ~28~, ~29~
Seedlings, grass, 35, ~23~
Seedlings, maize, 10, ~5~, 13, ~8~
Seedlings, pine, 129, ~126~
Seedlings, rose, 66, ~54~
Seeds, 86, 125
Seeds, bean, 8, ~3~, 9, ~4~, 10, ~6~, 91, ~89~
Seeds, dodder, 111
Seeds, larch, 128, ~124~
Seeds, maize, 9, ~5~, 91, ~90~
Seeds, mistletoe, 112
Seeds, pine, 129, ~125~
Sensitive Plant, 47, ~33~, ~34~, ~35~
Sepals, 78, ~69~
Shore, 165, ~Pl. VI.~, 176, ~150~
Skin of leaf, 95
Skin of seed, 9, ~3~
Sleep of plants, 46, ~32~
Sodium chloride, 15
Solomon’s Seal, 61, ~46~
Speedwell, 80, ~73~
Spines of cactus, 62, 99, ~97~
Spines of gorse, 102, ~99~
Spores, 135, 139, 140, 142
Stamens, 80, ~72~, ~73~, 81, ~74~
Starch, 11, 12, 21, 23
Starch formed in leaves by sunlight, 24
Starch stained by iodine, 11
Starch stored underground, 26
Stellaria, 59, ~45~
Stems, 58
Stems bending again to earth, 63, ~49~
Stems, branching of, 59
Stems, breathing pores in, 94, 96, ~96~
Stems, fleshy, 62, ~48~
Stems, sections of, 93, ~92~
Stems, twining, 106, ~102~, 110, ~106~
Stems, underground, 61, ~46~, ~47~
Stigma, 83
Stipules, 64, ~50~, ~51~
Stone-crop, 102, ~98~
Strawberry fruit, 90, ~88~
Strawberry runners, 63
Sundew, 114, ~110~, 115, ~111~
Sunflower, 1, 2
Sunflower stem, 94, ~93~, ~94~
Sunlight, oxygen given off in, 21, ~13~
Sunlight helps to form starch in leaves, 25
Sweet pea flower, 86, ~80~
Sweet pea fruit, 87, ~81~
Sweet pea leaf and tendrils, 45, ~31~, 70, ~61~
Sweet pea seed, 87, ~81~
Sycamore, buds of, 75, ~66~
T
Tendrils, movement of, 45, ~31~
Tendrils part of leaf, 70, 71
Tendrils assist climbing, 107, ~104~, 108, ~105~
Tissues, 93
Toadflax, 148, ~136~
Toadstool, 142, ~133~
Transpiration, 31
Traveller’s Joy, 147
Tree ferns, 133, ~Pl. III.~
Tubers, 61, ~47~
Tulip bulb, 77, ~68~
Tulip carpels, 82, ~77~
Tulip flower, 81, ~75~
Tulip stamens, 81, ~74~
V
Variegated leaves, 26, ~16~
Veins of leaf, 67, ~55~, 95
Vine, 33
Violet, 84, ~79~, 119, ~118~
W
Water, 12, 13
Water, circulation of, in plant, 28, 34
Water, entry into plant by roots, 33, ~21~, ~22~
Water given off by leaves, 28, ~17~, 30, ~18~, ~19~, ~20~
Water, protection against loss of, 99
Water stream in plants, 28, 34
Water vapour, 28, ~17~, 31
Water buttercup, 159, ~141~
Water-lily leaves, 160
Water-lily, section of stem of, 93, ~92~
“Water-pipe” cells, 94, 97
Whorls of leaves, 69, ~59~
Whortleberry, 62
Willow herb, 89, ~84~
Wind, 154
Wood-sorrel, sleep of, 46, ~32~
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS
THEIR FORMS, GROWTH, REPRODUCTION, AND DISTRIBUTION
FROM THE GERMAN OF THE LATE ANTON KERNER VON MARILAUN
Professor of Botany in the University of Vienna
TRANSLATED BY F. W. OLIVER, M.A., D.Sc.
Quain Professor of Botany in University College, London
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF
LADY BUSK, B.Sc., AND MRS. M. F. MACDONALD, B.Sc.
~With about Two Thousand Original Woodcut Illustrations~ In Two Volumes, cloth, 30s. net
“The best account of the vegetable kingdom for general readers which has yet been produced.”--=Nature.=
ANCIENT PLANTS
A SIMPLE ACCOUNT OF THE PAST VEGETATION OF THE EARTH AND OF RECENT IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES IN THAT REALM OF NATURE STUDY
BY MARIE C. STOPES, D.Sc., Ph.D., F.L.S.
Lecturer in Fossil Botany, Manchester University; Author of ~The Study of Plant Life~
Fully Illustrated. Demy 8vo, 4s. 6d. net
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NATURE STUDIES
(PLANT-LIFE)
BY G. F. SCOTT ELLIOT, M.A., B.Sc., F.L.S., F.R.G.S.
Formerly Lecturer in Botany, Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College
Author of ~A Naturalist in Mid Africa, Flora of Dumfriesshire~, &c.
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A FIRST COURSE IN PRACTICAL BOTANY
BY G. F. SCOTT ELLIOT, M.A., B.Sc., F.L.S., F.R.G.S.
Formerly Lecturer in the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College
Crown 8vo, cloth, 3s. 6d.
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ELEMENTARY BOTANY
BY JOSEPH W. OLIVER
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THE PRINCIPLES OF HORTICULTURE
A SERIES OF PRACTICAL SCIENTIFIC LESSONS
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Transcriber's Note
The following apparent errors have been corrected:
p. 17 "(~see~ Chap. VI.)," changed to "(~see~ Chap. VI.)."
p. 40 "actually the case" changed to "actually the case."
p. 61 "adventititious" changed to "adventitious"
p. 84 "B. Primrose" changed to "B, Primrose"
p. 101 "places we do not not need" changed to "places we do not need"
p. 107 "ordinary leaflets" changed to "ordinary leaflets."
p. 142 "stem and leaves" changed to "stem and leaves."
p. 165 "them Did you ever" changed to "them. Did you ever"
p. 197 "Anther, 80, ~81~" changed to "Anther, 80, 81"
p. 198 "179, ~152~ 181" changed to "179, ~152~, 181"
p. 199 "without CO_{2} 20" changed to "without CO_{2}, 20"
p. 200 "twining of petioles, 107" changed to "twining of petioles, 106"
p. 201 "Seeds, maize, 10" changed to "Seeds, maize, 9"
Archaic or inconsistent language has otherwise been kept as printed.