SOME REMARKABLE WAYS OF PLANTS 171 



So in the Vegetable World, as in our world, it some- 

 times happens that those things which are looked upon 

 as most sad may in the end bring about greater good. 



IV — Plant-Life in General 



We have seen in these pages some wonderful things 

 about the Vegetable World. We have learnt a little of 

 how its members live ; how they breathe, how they feed, 

 how they rest, how they seem to love sunshine. We 

 have found how they differ in their ways and in their 

 likings — if that word may be used for them — and in the 

 kinds of soil and air and climate that they need. 



Something we have noticed of what they have to 

 do in our world : of the work of Roots, the work of 

 Stems, the work of Leaves, the work of Flowers. 



More than this, it has become clear how truly they 

 live ; how utterly they differ from things without life ; 

 how much more nearly they are related to ourselves than 

 perhaps we have imagined. 



Also we have seen how tremendously useful they are 

 to mankind, more than useful, absolutely necessary, 

 since apart from the marvellous tasks which they carry 

 out we could not live. So we may well look on them with 

 gratitude : gratitude first to Him Who gave them to us ; 

 gratitude also to themselves, our faithful servants, ever 

 busied for our benefit. We may think of them as our 

 small brother and sister beings, to be loved and admired 

 and cared for. 



And all the while we know so little of their real nature ; 

 of how and in what manner they do the extraordinary 

 things that we see theni do, 



