THE WORK OF FLOWERS 123 



on it; one kind having stamens only, and no pistils; 

 the other kind having pistils only, and no stamens. 

 This is the ease with Pines ; and with them the pistil- 

 flowers grow high up, the stamen-flowers low down. 

 So the pollen as it falls, is likely to be borne away by 

 the breeze, and none of it may reach the pistils above. 



When, as often is the case, the stamen-flowers grow 

 on one tree, and the pistil-flowers on another tree, the 

 difficulty becomes still greater. 



Yet all this is only perplexing until we find the true 

 reason for it. A right good reason exists. 



The main object throughout is clearly that pollen 

 should reach the pistils. But — not the plant's own pistils. 

 That makes all the difference. 



For the sake of the plant itself ; for the vigour of the 

 seed; for, if I may say so, the growth of character in 

 the plant-race — we know it to be better that a plant 

 should not use its own pollen, but should receive some 

 from another plant of the same kind. And who may 

 assert with authority that " character " is not a thing 

 aimed at in the life of plants, even as in a far greater 

 and higher degree it is aimed at in the life of human 

 beings? True, in their case it is perhaps character 

 rather of the type than of the individual. Yet even 

 with them there is individuality; since no two plants 

 of the same kind and under the same conditions ever 

 grow precisely alike, or respond in precisely the same 

 mode to their surroundings and their opportunities. 



Therefore, deliberately and purposefully, and not by 

 chance, all kinds of difficulties are put in the way of a 

 plant using its own pollen; so that, for its own good, 

 it is driven to seek some from elsewhere. 



