96 LITERARY PILGRIMAGES 



seed. Then they imported bumblebees from the 

 English meadows with probosces long enough to 

 reach the nectar in the bottom of the clover 

 blooms and thus be pollen carriers from plant to 

 plant. Here was the solution of the problem, the 

 ichor of immortality that the clover needed. So 

 with alfalfa and most leguminous plants. Scien- 

 tific investigation has shown that if seeds of these 

 are to grow well and thrive in new regions dis- 

 tant from that of their cultivation more is needed 

 than the right soil and climate. Certain myste- 

 rious bacteria are present on the roots of all 

 plants of this genus, and in some obscure way 

 take from the soil and give to the plants the ele- 

 ments of vigor and success. Now the scientific 

 horticulturist steeps his seeds of alfalfa or other 

 leguminous plants in a culture of these bacteria, 

 and knows that if his planting is in fertile ground 

 and the sun and rain do their work well his har- 

 vest will be bountiful. Here again is the ichor 

 of the gods, Vishnu become fluid and incarnating 

 himself in obscure bacteria for the building of 

 the plant world. 

 So, I can but fancy, has it been with Concord 



