XX 



THE COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE OF PLANTS 



IN considering the marriage of plants it is neces- 

 sary to touch briefly on the physiology of 

 plants. This, however, has been done as lightly as 

 possible, and with as little indulgence in technical 

 terms as could be used to give a clear understand- 

 ing of their impulses and actions in their courtship 

 and marriage, and of the dependence of plants one 

 upon another for the reproduction of their kind. 



Plants are divided into two distinct sexes, male 

 and female. They have eyes with which they see; 

 they have mouths with which they eat, and stomachs 

 to digest their food. Their stomachs are in the 

 form of leaves, nevertheless they serve the purpose. 

 They have lungs with which they breathe ; and they 

 are capable of drinking water. The water is taken 

 in by different mouths from those with which they 

 take in their food. Great trees of the forest neces- 

 sarily have big mouths, in the form of roots, and 

 these mouths act as regular water-carriers which 

 reach far into the damp ground and drink up great 

 170 



