1 62 Natural Theology. 



away of material and of vital energy, and this goes 

 on, as in some oranges and grapes, till no seeds are 

 formed. 



We are now prepared to introduce and illustrate 

 certain propositions which seem warranted by plant 

 development. 



1. In some plants the idea of beauty is the most 

 prominent idea, inasmuch as under the best cultiva- 

 tion the variation of these plants is always in the line 

 of beauty either in the flower or leaf. 



The beauty of the flower, the rose, for example, 

 often increases at the expense of the reproductive 

 organs, until the power of producing seed is lost. 



2. In other plants utility of fruit is the prominent 

 idea, as in the apple and the peach. Such plants, 

 under careful cultivation, produce larger and more 

 delicious kinds of fruit, without increase of beauty 

 in the flower. 



3. From these two propositions another follows : 

 that the plants best known to us from long-con- 

 tinued cultivation can be readily divided into two 

 great series, without reference to their botanical 

 relationship, but according to their lines of develop- 

 ment. In one series utility of fruit is the prominent 

 idea ; and in the other, beauty of flozver or leaf ; as 

 under the best cultivation these series are developed 

 in these two directions respectively. 



The idea of utility is not manifested by fruit alone. 

 The sugar of the sugar-cane constitutes its utility, 

 while that of the Indian-corn lies in its grain. These 

 plants, so nearly allied botanically, are developed in 



