172 THE GARDEN OF EARTH 



Why should the roots rove hither and thither in search 

 of the right food ? Why should flowers and leaves turn 

 persistently towards the sun ? Why should the Vallis- 

 neria stalk act as it does — growing up to the water- 

 surface for supplies of pollen, then bending and coiling 

 downward, to be ready with ripened seeds for the next 

 year ? Where lies the connection between such actions 

 and the unseen cause, the hidden controlling power? 

 What is that cause — that power ? 



Such questions we cannot answer fully. We cannot 

 define how far that which we call " sense " or " sensitive- 

 ness " on the part of plants is actually what we mean 

 by the words. We only know that in many ways they 

 behave almost as if they really had a measure of 

 understanding. 



Not of understanding like our own. Not of under- 

 standing equal to that of animals. This we cannot 

 suppose. 



But in recent years the thought has gained ground 

 that perhaps — perhaps — in the mysterious world of 

 plant -life a very faint measure may exist of something 

 like " consciousness." That when they seem to shrink 

 from a touch, when they droop and fail from lack of 

 sunshine or of water, there may be in them the tiniest 

 amount of something like discomfort. That when they 

 gaze up at the sun, and appear to bask in his rays, they 

 may have a dim sense of enjoyment, or at all events of 

 something akin to satisfaction. We are certainly free 

 to indulge in the fancy, and in time we may know that 

 it is not only a fancy. 



The word just used, " consciousness," needs defining. 

 I think that what we mean by it in this connection is^ 



