36 PKOSEKPINA. 



roots. These are mostly among the Drosidse* and othef 

 humble tribes, loving the ground ; and, in their babyhood, 

 liking to live quite down in it. A baby crocus has liter- 

 ally its own little dome domus, or duomo within which 

 in early spring it lives a delicate convent life of its own, 

 quite free from all worldly care and dangers, exceedingly 

 ignorant of things in general, but itself brightly golden 

 and perfectly formed before it is brought out. These 

 subterranean palaces and vaulted cloisters, which w r e call 

 bulbs, are no more roots than the blade of grass is a root, 

 in which the ear of corn forms before it shoots up. 



15. Thirdly, Ruins. The flowers which have these sub- 

 terranean homes form one of many families whose roots, 

 as well as seeds, have the power of reproduction. The 

 succession of some plants is trusted much to their seeds : 

 a thistle sows itself by its down, an oak by its acorns ; the 

 companies of flying emigrants settle where they may ; and 

 the shadowy tree is content to cast down its showers of 

 nuts for s wines' food with the chance that here and there 

 one may become a ship's bulwark. But others among 

 plants are less careless, or less proud. Many are anxious 

 for their children to grow in the place where they grew 

 themselves, and secure this not merely by letting their 

 fruit fall at their feet, on the chance of its growing up be- 



* Drosidse, in our school nomenclature, is the general name, includ- 

 ing the four great tribes, iris, asphodel, amaryllis, and lily. See rea- 

 son for this name given in the ' Queen of the Air,' Section II. 



