PSYCHOLOGY OF FLOWERS. 357 



CHAPTER XIV. 



PHENOMENA OF VEGETABLE LIFE. 



Psychology of Flowers Progress of Matter towards Organiza- 

 tion Vital Force Spontaneous Generation The Vege- 

 table Cell Simplest Development of Organization The 

 Crystal and the Cell Primitive Germ Progress of Vege- 

 tation Influence of Light Morphology Germination 

 Production of Woody Fibre Leaves Chlorophylle De- 

 composition of Carbonic Acid Influence of Light, Heat, 

 and Actinism on the Phenomena of Vegetable Life Flowers 

 and Fruits Etiolation Changes in the Sun's Rays with the 

 Seasons Distribution of Plants Electrical and Combined 

 Physical Powers 



THE variety of beautiful forms which cover the surface 

 of this sphere, serve, beyond the physical purposes to 

 which we have already alluded, to influence the mind, 

 and give character to the inhabitants of every locality. 

 There are men who appear to be dead to the mild 

 influences of flowers; but these sweet blossoms the 

 stars of our earth exert a power as diffusive as their 

 pervading odours. 



The poet tells us of a man to whom 



The primrose on the river's brim 

 A yellow primrose was to him, 

 And it was nothing more. 



But it was something more. He, perhaps, attended not 

 to the eloquent teaching of its pure, pale leaves : he 

 might not have been conscious of the mysterious singing 

 of that lowly flower : he might, perchance, have crushed 



