Chamberss Elementary Science Readers | Page 3

seeds
1. One day the children were out in the fields, running races, picking flowers, and making daisy-chains!
2. When they began to feel tired and hungry, they got milk and cake out of mother's basket, and had a long rest on the dry, warm grass.
3. 'How these buttercups shine!' said Dora; 'they look like gold!'
'Gold-cups, they ought to be called, not butter-cups,' said Harry. 'They look like cups, don't they?'
4. 'But they would not hold water like real cups. Look at this one; it is in five pieces.'
5. 'Five? Oh yes! And look underneath. There is another sort of cup with five leaves in it.'
'Only it is not bright and golden, but green and hairy.'
6. 'Now, you found that out, and I found the five yellow leaves. It is my turn again. I can see yellow threads standing up in a ring all round the middle of the cup, and their tops are thick.'
7. 'It is my turn now! In the very middle there is a green heap. It looks as if the yellow threads were taking care of it.'
'Oh, the heap is all made up of little round things! Look, I can pull it to pieces.'
[Illustration: Butter-cup.]
8. 'So can I,' said Harry; 'here is one, here is another! They are not round after all, do you see? Each is round at the bottom, but has a little bent horn at the top.'
9. 'They must be seeds. I will break one open. Oh no! Just look, there is a little ball inside. Have you found a ball in yours?'
'Yes, there is a ball in every one. It must be a seed, or a little egg.'
10. 'Birds have eggs,' said Dora, 'plants have seeds.'
'Well, it is all the same thing,' said Harry.
'I think the green thing with a horn is only a case to take care of the seed.'
11. 'All these things seem to take care of each other. First, the green leaves at the back take care of the yellow cup.'
'And the yellow cup takes care of the yellow threads.'
'And the yellow threads take care of the green cases.'
'And the green cases take care of the seeds.'
[Illustration]

DAISIES AND BUTTERCUPS.
[Illustration: Daisies.]
mead′-ows stalk cov′-ered yel′-low maid′-en light′-ly ten′-der tread win′-ter cun′-ning dai′-sy straight ground chil′-dren moss′-y but′-ter
I.
1. I'm a pretty little thing, Always coming with the spring; In the meadows green I'm found, Peeping just above the ground. And my stalk is covered flat With a white and yellow hat.
2. Little maiden, when you pass Lightly o'er the tender grass, Step aside and do not tread On my meek and lowly head; For I always seem to say, 'Chilly winter's gone away.'
II.
1. I'm a cunning little thing, Coming also with the spring. Near the daisy I am found, Standing straight above the ground; And my head is covered flat With a glossy, yellow hat.
2. Little children, when you pass Through the tall and waving grass, Do not pluck, but gently tread Near my low and mossy bed; For I always seem to say, 'Milk and butter fresh to-day.'

WHEAT.
PART 1.
field fa′-ther wheat plough bas′-ket watched threw har′-row grains east morn′-ing earth joints be-lieve′ for′-est stalks
1. There was a very little field at the bottom of the garden, and father made up his mind to grow wheat in it.
2. A friend kindly lent him a horse and plough, and the soil was quickly turned over. A few days afterwards the seed was sown.
3. The children helped to do this.
They got up very early one morning and went out with their father. Harry had a bag full of wheat, and Dora had a little basket.
[Illustration]
4. They watched what their father did, then dipped their hands into the wheat, and threw it out over the earth.
5. After that, the horse came again with a harrow, to cover the seed over with soil, and it was left to grow.
6. It seemed strange to think that those little hard grains would grow up to be tall plants and have other grains upon them.
7. 'I hope we shall have some nice soft rain,' said father, as they left the field.
8. Many days went by, rain came again and again. There was sunshine, too; but sometimes the east winds blew.
9. Dora and Harry went out every morning to look at the field. But they always came in saying that there was nothing but brown earth to be seen.
10. At last, one morning they came in running and jumping. 'Our wheat is up! There are tiny green leaves all over the field!'
11. After this there was always something fresh to see. The wheat-plants grew taller, and put out long leaves.
12. Dora said one day that they looked like grass, and her mother told her that wheat was a large kind of grass.
'Look at the shape of the leaves,' she said, 'and the