plant partnerebips 125 



These plants do not require the visits of insects. 

 They have secured the services of a much more 

 potent ally — the summer wind. 



Look at a field of grass in its brief bloom. The 

 stamens and pistils hang from the clasping scales. 

 Along the field sweeps the gentle wind, swaying the 

 graceful stems until they ripple like the sea. As 

 they bow and rise freely upon the wind's soft wings, 

 the pollen floats away, blown abroad the field and 

 neighboring fields, and so reaches millions of wait- 

 ing pistils. In this same manner also are the germs 

 on many trees fertilized. The pollen of the thorn 

 and poplar will float for miles to reach some distant 

 pistillate blossoms awaiting it. 



Wherever we find inflorescence reduced to its 

 lowest terms, no gay petals, no sweet perfume, no 

 choice nectar, merely stamens and j)istils held in a 

 scale or. two, as in a loosely-clasping hand^ we know 

 by these signs that the wind is the partner chal- 

 lenged to do the outside business of the firm. For 

 many years even earnest students of botany sup- 

 posed that the especial intention of nature was that 

 the pollen of stamens should fall upon and fertilize 

 the pistils of the same flower ; and so deepl}^ rooted 

 was this opinion that very evident facts pointing to 

 a different conclusion were overlooked. Mrs. Lin- 

 coln's " Botany for Beginners " was one of the joys 



