TRANSFORMATION OF ANIMALS. 165 



bodies pass through successive changes. Plants, of course, 

 are not exempted from mutation. What an amazing differ- 

 ence between an acorn and a stately oak ! The seed con- 

 tains within it the rudiments of the parts of the future plant 

 These parts require only time and other circumstances neces- 

 sary to vegetation for their complete evolution. Beside the 

 general changes arising from growth, plants undergo a num- 

 ber of metamorphoses from other causes. In northern cli- 

 mates, if we except a few evergreens, trees, during winter, 

 are entirely stripped of their leaves. Instead of the pleasant 

 emotions excited by the variety of figures, movements, colors, 

 and fragrance of the leaves, flowers, and fruit, during the 

 spring and summer, nothing is exhibited in winter but the 

 bare stems and branches. In this state, the trees of the for- 

 est have a lugubrious appearance, and remind us of death 

 and of skeletons. Very different are the emotions we feel in 

 the spring, when the buds begin to burst, and the leaves to 

 expand. When summer approaches, another beautiful change 

 takes place. The flowers, with all their splendor of colors, 

 and sweetness of savors, are then highly delightful to our 

 senses. After performing the office of cherishing and pro- 

 tecting the tender fruit for some time, the flowers drop off, and 

 a new change is exhibited. When the flowers fall, the young 

 fruit appears, and gradually grows to maturity, perpetually 

 presenting varieties in its magnitude, color, odor, and flavor. 

 When the fruit or seeds are fully ripe, they are gathered for 

 the use of man, drop down upon the earth, or are devoured 

 by birds and other animals. After this change happens, to 

 which all the others were only preparatory, the leaves begin 

 to fall, winter commences, and the same series of metamor- 

 phoses go on during the existence of the plant. 



The changes just now mentioned are annual, and are ulti- 

 mately intended to supply men and other animals with food. 

 But plants are subjected to changes of form from causes of a 

 much more accidental nature. Varieties or changes in the 

 figure of plants are often produced by soil, by situation, by 

 culture, and by climate. 



The petals of all flowers in a natural state are single. But 

 when transplanted into gardens, many of them, especially 

 those which are furnished with numerous stamina, as the ane- 

 mone, the poppy, the peony, the ranunculus, the daisy, the 

 marigold, the rose,&/c., double, or rather multiply their flower 

 leaves without end. This change from single to double, or 

 monstrous flowers, as they are called, is produced by too 



