A Story Outline of Evolution 



perfection but like human beings, she has made many mis- 

 takes. She always profits by these mistakes. In some of the 

 lower forms of plant life, two little chains of cells — one 

 representing the male and the other the female grow 

 together Into one forming the first principle of the seed or 

 egg. Others produced "spores" which had the power of 

 perpetuating the parent life. Nature was not satisfied with 

 this method of reproduction. She must develop something 

 better than the fungus plants, the lichens, mosses, creepers 

 and ferns; something that will be of greater food value for 

 the life that Is to follow; something that will withstand the 

 changed conditions of soil and climate; something that will 

 add beauty and fragrance to the world; something that will 

 be more useful to Cultural Evolution when Its age arrives. 

 Up to this time all plants have been both flowerless and 

 seedless but their lives have not been In vain. They have 

 developed, flourished and decayed and In their decay, they 

 have helped to form and enrich the soil from which all 

 future life will live. A part of the great fern forests have 

 stored away the energy of the sun In the form of coal which 

 again Is used by man In aiding In the Plan of Creation. 



Thus far all the work of plant life has been In prepara- 

 tion for some higher forms of life. Before we proceed to 

 the higher forms of plant life or to the beginning of animal 

 life. It Is well to know more of the part these single celled 

 plants played In preparing the world for the higher life that 

 was to follow. Bacteria are very Important living plants. 

 They have adapted themselves to their surroundings and 

 are now present everywhere — In the soil, In the water. In 



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