INTRODUCTION 



of one group or even one species, as 

 commonly understood ; their know- 

 ledge is very deep, but often very 

 narrow. Lastly, there is the all-round 

 botanist of wider sympathies, who, 

 although his knowledge may not go 

 so deeply as that of the specialist's, 

 probably gets more wholesome satis- 

 faction out of it, because he sees 

 vegetation more as a whole, and 

 realizes how it fits in with the genera] 

 scheme of things on this planet its 

 connections with soil and climate, with 

 insect, bird, and beast, and with man 

 himself. He may realize what the 

 others are not likely to do, that this 

 living plant has habits, likes and dis- 

 likes, and little ways of its own just 

 as surely as every animal has. To 

 him the truth may be patent that 



Photo by] [8. L. liastin. 



FIG. 6. BIRTHWORT (Aristolochia gigas). 



Insects attracted by the carrion-like odour enter the 



flower and are kept prisoners for hours in order to effect 



the fertilization of the incipient seeds. GUATEMALA. 



upon this living plant all other life 

 depends entirely ; even the entire 

 human race with all its achievements 

 and glorious history has been, and is, 

 indebted for its existence upon the 

 living plant. 



The plant provides us with every- 

 thing we really need, makes the 

 earth habitable, makes the air breath- 

 able and the water drinkable ; sup- 

 plies us with food not merely the 

 food of the vegetarian, but of the 

 flesh-eater also. If there were no 

 other reasons why man should con- 

 cern himself with an intimate know- 

 ledge of the living plant what it is, 

 what it accomplishes for the world, 

 and how it does it this one fact 

 should suffice ; and it is our justifica- 



Pholo by~[ [//. E. Hill. 



FIG. 7. FLOWERS OF BANANA (Musa 



paradisiaca). 

 The beginnings of the- familiar fruit. THOHCS. 



