106 TALKS AFIELD. 



Other plants beside the rosin-weed show 

 polarity in their leaves. It is conspicuous 

 in the stem leaves of the lettuce-weed, Lac- 

 tuca Scariola, a tall plant which occurs along 

 streets in northern cities, a waif from Eu- 

 rope. Closely allied to this plant is the gar- 

 den lettuce, but not until last year, when 

 Professor J. C. Arthur observed the circum- 

 stance, were its leaves known to exhibit 

 polarity. If the plant be allowed to go to 

 seed the leaves along the stem usually show 

 the phenomenon. Some leaves of the com- 

 mon horse-weed, or mare's tail, Erigeron 

 Canadense, are found by Dr. W. J. Beal to 

 exhibit polarity. 



How Some Plants get up in the World. 



It is a significant fact that Nature does 

 nothing solely for display ; all her beauty 

 subserves some definite economy. She makes 

 the useful the beautiful ; utility comes be- 

 fore beauty. This fact should make her at- 

 tractions more attractive, for while it does 

 not lessen the beauty, it increases the convic- 

 tion that definite plan and purpose, that per- 

 fect adaptability, are everywhere present. 

 We love the flower the more when we know 

 that the beautiful colors and perfume are the 



