Saturday, May 17, 2008

Pollen Moments

The school bell rang at exactly 3 PM. Raghu came rushing out of his biology class. Raghu belonged to class 5 in Wesley High School. He was a very bright and inquisitive student. He located his red "BSA StreetCat" cycle in the stands and enthusiastically cycled back home. He parked the cycle by the window and locked. He inspected the reflector at the rear of the cycle. It looked a bit dusty. He kneeled down and started polishing itwith his saliva. It was now gleaming in the evening sun. Beaming and satisfied with his effort,he rushed to find his grandmother in the kitchen.

Grandma: What is up Laddu(sweetums)? Why are you brimming with so much excitement?
Raghu: Grandma, we had a very interesting lesson today in Biology. It was about osmosis. I am going to do some experiments at home with raisins and grapes. Can you give me some?
Grandma: Sure you can take it, but tell me what you are going to do with them?
Raghu: I am going to put the raisins in water. The raisins should absorb the water due to osmosis and bloat in size. When ripe full grapes are kept in water they lose water due to reverse osmosis. When grapes are preserved in sugar water they will retain shape and water.
Grandma: For this you need to experiment? I know this more from my kitchen experience than from my Class II education. Do you see those big array of jars there. Those are all different fruits and vegetables preserved in Salt and sugar water for pickling later. I don't know anything about "aash-maashish" though.
Raghu: Hmm. Not bad, Grandma, I think I can put your practical experience to some use later. I am off to do my homework now.

Some days later, Raghu is just back from school and finds his grandmother in the garden behind the house, planting some saplings.

Raghu: Excellent grandma I found you at the right place.
Grandma: Little Rascal! What weird question do you have for me today?
Raghu: Let me put you test. Can you tell me how trees come to existence and grow?
Grandma: How else, but from seeds sown in the soil?
Raghu: But tell me where seeds come from?
Grandma: Seeds come from the trees themselves my dear!
Raghu: Aiyoh! Patti(Grandma)! You don't know anything. Dont you know anything about pollination? Flowers are pollinated with pollen grains and they become fruits. Seeds come from the fruits which grow into trees later.

Raghu goes near the hibiscus shrub, carefully picks the stamens from the flower and crushes them so that he has a thin layer of pollen in his hand and carefully blows air over his hand so that the pollen fly above the flowers.

Grandma (amused at his antics) : Little Doctor, what are you upto?
Raghu: (Indicating at the two Guava fruits hanging from the guava tree with great pride and his head high up)Grandma do you know who created those fruits? It is me!
Grandma: What are you blabbering? What do you mean you created those fruits?
Raghu: Did you not see what I just did? I pollinated the flowers myself by blowing the pollens. In a weeks' time you should see some kind of fruit in the hibiscus tree too!
Grandma: This is all going way above my head now. And don't try any more of your artificial stuff in my garden. I will preserve it in my own natural way.
Raghu: Don't worry patti I know everything! Next week they are starting Human Physiology and I will learn how babies are born at school. I shall put you to test on subject quite soon!
Grandma: WHAAAT!

No comments: