Chambers's Elementary Science Readers Part 2

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 pa.s.s Lightly o'er the tender gra.s.s, 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 pa.s.s Through the tall and waving gra.s.s, Do not pluck, but gently tread Near my low and mossy bed; For I always seem to say, 'Milk and b.u.t.ter 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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 suns.h.i.+ne, 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 gra.s.s, and her mother told her that wheat was a large kind of gra.s.s.

'Look at the shape of the leaves,' she said, 'and the joints in the stems.'

13. The wheat soon grew so tall that it stood above the heads of the children. They used to go in among it, and make believe that they were lost in a great forest.

14. One day, when they were lost like this, they saw that the tops of the stalks had opened. Inside there were green stems with green ears upon them.

WHEAT.

PART 2.

heard talk'-ing har'-vest sup'-per seemed sur-prise'

rail'-way heav'-y truck mean flour lis'-ten han'-dle min'-utes treat tea

1. Every day the ears grew larger and harder, and then they began to look yellow.

2. The children, too, heard their father and mother talking about their golden grain, and saying it was ripe.

3. At last, one very hot day, they found that the time had come to cut the wheat. A kind friend came to help, and Harry and Dora and the new dog jumped about and ran in and out, and thought that they helped too.

4. The children talked much about their harvest, and mother made them a harvest-supper. What a day it was!

5. It seemed so odd to have a bin full of grain just like the grain they had sown in the spring.

6. And now there was a great surprise for them. A railway-man came with a heavy box on a truck, and when the box was opened, what do you think there was inside?

A mill--a fine new wheat-mill!

7. 'We do not need now to go to the miller!' said mother, looking very glad. 'We are going to have a miller in our own house--no, two millers, I ought to say!'

8. 'Two millers!' cried Harry.

'Do you mean Harry and me?' asked Dora.

'Yes, my dear children, I mean you. You are going to be my dusty millers!

9. 'I will show you how much you are to grind, just a little every day.

You must put it into this big red pan, and cover it up, and when I want to bake I shall always have plenty of flour ready.

10. 'And listen! You shall have a penny each every week for doing the work.'

At this Dora and Harry jumped for joy, clapped their hands, and ran to their mother to hug her.

11. Then she put some of the wheat into the mill, took hold of the handle, and made the wheel go round. Harry next took his turn, and Dora hers, and in a few minutes they found in the box below a heap of nice soft flour.