468 THE UNIVERSE. 



rated a long way from each other. In whirling about the 

 waves of air uplift the pollen, carry it into the clouds, and 

 let it fall upon the flowers like a fertilizing dew. 



Science religiously preserves the history of two palm- 

 trees which were born in Italy, and displayed a most strik- 

 ing instance of what we have been stating. One of them 

 grew in the vicinity of Otranto ; it was a female tree, and 

 annually covered with luxuriant flowers, yet it remained 

 constantly sterile. Every season had for a long time 

 brought forth the same hopes of fertility, to be followed by 

 the same blight. It may be imagined, then, how general 

 the astonishment was when the palm-tree of Otranto was at 

 last, after so many delusive promises, seen laden with fruit ! 

 It was then found that another palm-tree of the same 

 species, but a male, had for the first time blossomed at 

 Brindisi. There could be no doubt about the matter ; the 

 wind, carrying away the pollen from the latter, had be- 

 sprinkled the other with it, and thus the breeze had borne 

 the life-giving dust a distance of fifteen leagues. From this 

 time the palm-tree of Otranto bore a harvest each year. 



Flowers only celebrate their chaste union in broad day- 

 light. They require for it waves of air and light, and in 

 order to plunge into these we frequently see them perform 

 the most unexpected feats. 



Aquatic plants are principally remarkable in this respect. 

 The task itself seems to be chiefly intrusted to the peduncle. 

 In some plants growing in the depths of our marshes this 

 support lengthens out, even to an immense extent if nec- 

 essary, so as to raise the flower above the surface of the 

 water. This is frequently seen in the magnificent water- 



