ioo PICTURING MIRACLES 



less protoplasm returning into the grain until finally 

 the grain empties itself. Then rather suddenly the 

 cell walls collapse and the grain becomes a mere 

 shadow of its former size. The tube then continues to 

 grow till it enters the stigma, through it, and the 

 length of the pistil into the ovary. 



Down this tube some distance back from the grow- 

 ing point, the nucleus seems to drift with the proto- 

 plasm; it often stops and the granular globules of 

 protoplasm can be watched passing and repassing it. 

 This nucleus must have very much the same refrac- 

 tive power as the protoplasm and growing tube, as I 

 have been unable to observe it except in the Spider 

 Lily. In size it is about one third as long as the 

 grain, jointed at both ends, which are made up of 

 dark brownish masses. The length of the center por- 

 tion is transparent and colorless. I have been able 

 to picture its story from the time it becomes first 

 visible in the grain while in its swimming-like mo- 

 tions around and around inside the grain cell, emerg- 

 ing and passing through the tube and entering the 

 stigma. An enormous amount of research work could 

 be done on this Crinum, familiarly known as * 'Spider 

 Lily/' adding immeasurably to our present knowl- 

 edge of what really happens in that vital step of 

 plant life. 



