202 TEAJSfSACTIONS OF THE ILLLXOIS 



that the world shall move on — that there shall be changes, and that if possible no two 

 things shall be reproduced exactly the same . 



It is a misfortune to our correct understanding of things, that identical terms are 

 given to principles which are similar but not alike. Thus we say of plants as of 

 animals, that they have sexes, and speaking thus we should say of these two grand 

 forces of the vegetable kingdom, that the conservative standstill, like producing-like 

 power, was the female influence, and that the radical, onward-developing power, was 

 the male. The parallel of the sexes in the animal and vegetable worlds is so far 

 perfect, but the analogy ends here. The female influence in plants is of such a nature 

 that it is capable of reproducing itself in many ways without the intervention of 

 another sex; and in such cases producing, reproducing, and continuing to produce 

 itself exactly like its former self. Cuttings of roots, and stems, and leaves; buds, 

 tubers, ofl'sets, suckers, and the many other modes known to propagators, are the 

 natural processes by which the female influence seeks to manifest the peculiar conser- 

 vative power God has assigned to it. Wonderful is the wisdom which has confined 

 this foi'm of reproductive powder to plants. If the higher order of organic beings had 

 the privilege of reproducing themselves independently of the change-leading influence 

 of the male, as plants have, mutual recognition would he invpossihle : and thus you see 

 -that the thousands of pleasures which social intercourse brings us have been made 

 dependent on this one little principle, that a certain property given to the female 

 influence in plants has been made to cease before crossing the threshold of the higher 

 order of the animal world. 



In our studies to-night, the great value of this principle is, that it strikes one solid 

 ■and eftective blow at the old theory of Knight, as to the. wearing out of varieties. He 

 thought plants were exactly like animals in their sexual relations, and that gi'owing 

 -from seed obtained by the mutual action of stamens and pistils was the only natural 

 mode of reproduction. Grafting and other modes were, he said, "mere extensions 

 of the individual , " which, reasoning from animals, he thought could not naturally 

 continue beyond a deflnite period of existence. Now that we know nature's object 

 ■in the sexes, and that all extra seminal reproductions are natural and legitimate forms 

 of pure female power. Knight's theory is no more. We may go on in security vrtth 

 our grafts and our cuttings, assured that here at least, so long as we do not propagate 

 -at the same time from a diseased stock, we are not violating any principle of sound 

 fruit'culture. 



Now asregai-ds nutrition, let vis take note of how the plant feeds. This we can 

 pretty weU understand without the use of technical terms, or without going very 

 deeply^into abstract principles of vegetable physiology. At least, I shall try to make 

 it clear to any observing mind in plain every day language. You know that a plant 

 in a cellar, if it grows at all, grows pale and weak. Therefore to be healthy, it must 

 have light. This we know well enough when put in this extrome way ; but we forget 

 it when it comes to a question of degree. If one leaf partially shades another, the 

 one shaded by so much sickens, and only that tree is in perfect health, which has every 

 leaf so displayed to direct light, as to get its full share of it. 



But the roots detest Hght; their constant eflbrt is to keep away from it. Cultivators 

 of Dutch bulbs know this so well that they either keep their water glasses with the 

 roots in a dark closet until the roots have pushed; or select colored glasses instead of 

 4instained ones to put the roots in . Indeed , so well is this kno"wn that I am sure I 



