MENTALITY AND SPIRITUALITY 187 



and treatises have appeared, which claimed that 

 their authors had found, beyond all question, the 

 proof of an active intelligence in plants. However, 

 the mind of the average human is a stolid thing, 

 and hates to be jolted from its regular course by 

 the entertainment of new and original ideas; so it 

 has glanced at these amusing announcements of 

 facts and with smiling superiority has returned to 

 its old, wormy books and theories, in calm self- 

 satisfaction. But the men who have furnished this 

 amusement, who have learned really to know plant 

 nature, smile in their turn and proclaim the truths, 

 which their investigation is giving them. 



Perhaps one of the most convincing evidences of 

 mentality in plants is the almost invariable conver- 

 sion to this belief of those who have really given 

 themselves to study and to a sincere attempt to 

 understand the nature of plants. Among the fore- 

 most naturalists and psychologists of the past and 

 present stand many who are emphatic in the 

 declaration of their belief in the theory of plant 

 mentality and intelligence. 



It is generally accepted that to animals must be 

 given credit for some mentality. The line of de- 

 marcation between the animal and plant kingdoms 

 has been always a subject for dispute, and never 

 has been established to the satisfaction of all. Of 



