144 Natural Theology. 



tilization by the aid of insects, and the drop of hone) 

 placed in the flower to attract them, we not only 

 recognise design, but in a provision of such varied 

 nature the idea of chance is excluded. If no honey 

 is secreted in the flower, then it will be found that 

 means have been provided adequate to produce fer- 

 tilization without the aid of insects. There may be 

 an abundance of pollen, and such a structure that 

 the wind can do the work, as in the Indian-corn and 

 pine, or some special arrangement of the parts of 

 the flower to secure the result. It will be sufficient 

 to mention a few cases from the many, of structure 

 having reference to the action of bees in the pro- 

 cess of fertilization. The cucumber and squash are 

 good examples. These vines produce two kinds of 

 flowers the staminate or those producing the pollen, 

 and the pistillate which produce the fruit. For the 

 growth of these fruits it is necessary for the pollen 

 to be transferred from one flower to the other. As 

 the flowers are at considerable distance from each 

 other, and protected from the winds, probably not 

 one case would occur in a hundred flowers of the 

 transference of pollen without the aid of insects. 

 These plants therefore would seem defective if we 

 consider their own structure alone. If left to their 

 own action, the species would die out. In the Sand- 

 wich Islands, where no bees are found, it is neces- 

 sary to fertilize the large squashes by the labor of 

 men. 



Where bees are found the work is completed by 

 them. In each flower upon these vines, there is a 



