320 



THE PARTS OF A SEED-PLANT 



to show not a little \-aricty and complexit}^ in the different 

 parts which compose it, and one is aware that much more 

 complexity of structure would appear upon further stud3\ 

 But why the plant should have such a complex structure 

 may not be at first so obvious. We are helped to an under- 

 standing of the matter, however, by remembering that 

 wherever there is much variety of work to be performed, it 

 is an advantage to have the labor divided among different 

 sets of workers, each fitted for their special share and cooperat- 



FiG. 280. — Flax Bud cut vertically and much enlarged to show the develop- 

 ment of the leaves from protrusions arising at the side of the dome- 

 like stem-tip which consists of formative material. (Original.) 



ing with the rest. This principle is shown clearly in the com- 

 munity to which we belong, where the labor of meeting the 

 needs of the peojile as a whole is divided among farmers, 

 miners, manufacturers, merchants, soldiers, teachers, and 

 many other classes, while in each class the work is divided 

 and subdivided again and again. The degree of specialization 

 and cooperation found in such advanced communities as our 

 own chiefly distinguishes them, as we know, from such less 

 advanced communities as the Indian tribes which preceded 

 us upon the American continent; and w^e say that this was 



