THE MECHANISM OF A FLOWER CLOCK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1263, 14 May 1896, Page 13

THE MECHANISM OF A FLOWER CLOCK.

Till-: Tiil:-: L'i J XT. ON THE LAWN. G.ii'deiiu'jj fchould know that if is quite possible to so arrange fluwers in a garden that all the purposes of si clock wili bo answered. It is said tli.it in the time of l'iiny forty-six flowers were known to open and shut at certain hours of the day, and this number has since been largely increased. For instance, a bed of common dandelions would show it was five-thirty in tho morning and eight-thirty at night, respectively, for these flowers open and shut at the times named, frequently to the minute. The common hawk-weed opens at eight in the morning and may be depended upon lo close within a few minutes of two in the afternoon. The yellow gc.'it''- i.-riid shuts at twelve o'clock noon, absolutely to the minuie, siderial time. Our clocks do not follow ihe sun, according to tho longitude of the place where they ate. The goat's-beard, however, is true time all the world over. The sowthistle opens at five a.m., and closes at eleven —twelve a.m. The white lily opens at seven a.m., and closes at live p.m. Jn tho towns few people knew about such details as these ; nor are the flower clocks often seen anywhere though they have been constructed occasionally.