THE 



POPULAR SCIENCE 

 MONTHLY. 



JUNE, 1874. 



HAVE PLANTS A PEDIGKEE ? 



By Pbofessor W. D. GUNNING. 



WE have lately been reminded, by a writer in the North American 

 Review^ that the builders are the metaphysicians, and that sci- 

 ence is only a brick-yard. How many, tlien, would quit the service ? 

 No ! wiser we think were the words of the late Cambridge profess- 

 or : " We have reached the point where the results of science touch 

 the very problem of existence, and all thoughtful men are listening 

 for the verdict which solves the great mystery." There is a great 

 truth here which people are beginning to recognize, and there can be 

 little doubt that the strongest hold which Science now has upon the 

 public mind, comes from the light she is supposed to be able to throw 

 on " the problem of existence." The vegetable kingdom has many 

 aspects of interest, but Science has now raised the profound inquiry 

 how it came to be — that is, the problem of its existence. We propose 

 to set forth in this paper part of the testimony which plants give on 

 the question of their origin. 



In the floral world that which first catches the attention is color, 

 and, although in classification it passes for almost nothing, no other 

 property or quality affects the mind so deeply. The great poets, who 

 are always wiser than they know, have \itev2i\\j painted the vices and 

 virtues. Anger is scarlet — 



" The ashy paleness of my cheek 

 Is scarleted in ruddy flakes of wrath." 



Jealousy is yellow ; modesty is crimson y melancholy is blue ; cheerful- 

 ness, hopefulness, youth, are green ; malice, vengefulness, falsehood, are 

 black, and truth and purity have never been painted to the imagina- 

 tion more simply and beautifully than by Shakespeare in this : 



" White-robed truth ; " 

 and by Milton in this : 



" The saintliest veil 

 Of maiden- white." 



YOL. V. — 9 



