132 THE HUMAN SIDE OF PLANTS 



do they respond to light, but they give every other 

 evidence of the use of their eyes in their work. 



The eyes of plants are of two distinct kinds ; one 

 kind, the less complex, are made by smooth epider- 

 mis, and the cells have a plain outer covering. 

 These are very similar to a glass window which al- 

 lows the sun's rays to pass through, and fall on the 

 objects within a room, but in no way aids in con- 

 centrating the rays of light in definite places. The 

 other kind of eyes are formed of papillose epider- 

 mis, whose outer and inner surfaces are so made 

 as to produce plano-convex lenses. These readily 

 concentrate the rays of light over a definite area, 

 and in this respect are very similar to human eyes. 



In the study of light-producing plant types, as 

 in the understanding of all types and classes of 

 plants, the average botanist has but knocked at the 

 outer door; while before him is a labyrinth of many 

 doors and many barriers. Apparently the secret 

 passage to the centre of this maze, to the heart of 

 the flowers, lies in the attuning of the human na- 

 ture to the nature of the plants. Science tells us 

 much, but without an absolute communion, a thor- 

 ough accord and responsive affinity between human 

 soul and plant soul there never can be a thorough 

 understanding of the nature of the plants. 



