388 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



by a great variety of arrangements, to avoid any such acci- 

 dent. I have observed that the wild strawberry blossoms 

 that grow under the shade of bushes, where they are hidden 

 from the sight of insects, are more apt to prove barren of 

 fruit, than those of the same species that grow in an open 

 field. 



It is for this reason that solitary flowers are commonly more 

 beautiful than flowers that grow in clusters, which are ren- 

 dered conspicuous by their aggregations. For this reason, 

 also, drooping flowers, that are partly concealed by their posi- 

 tion, are more fragrant than those of kindred species that are 

 upright. There is, as it were, a contention between the 

 plants of difl'erent species to display the greatest attractions 

 to the fertilizing insect. The large flower of the dandelion, 

 placed upon the green verdure of the early spring meadow, 

 needs no other contrast, besides that of its own yellow disk 

 with the green grass, to render it a conspicuous object. The 

 pansy, on the other hand, being a smaller flower, compensates 

 itself by assuming a beautiful union of three colors, yellow, 

 violet and purple, and turns its disk to the sun, not to receive 

 any direct benefit from his rays, but to be more conspicuous, 

 by the reflected light, to the insect advancing in the direction 

 of the rays. These three colors combined can be recognized 

 at a greater distance than any one of the colors alone. 



I have remarked that flowers commonly assume geometrical 

 shapes, as contrasting more vividly with the general irregular 

 forms of vegetation. There are certain plants, like the Or- 

 chids, that are remarkable for assuming the shapes of insects, 

 that serve to attract the fertilizing agent by holding up an 

 image of its own features. These characters are said to re- 

 semble those of insects which are indigenous to the same 

 country. All such flowers are highly perfumed, and richly 

 stored with honey. Other flowers are furnished with con- 

 trivances for holding the insect in confinement until he has 

 finished his work. Such is the Asclepias. Certain small in- 

 sects enter the flower, and descend through a sort of tube into 

 a chamber containing the parts of fructification. They are 

 immediately confined there by little hairs bristling down to- 



