Vegetal Evolution. 155 



while a fir-tree disperses uncounted millions. While 

 the profusion of sexual elements and organisms thus 

 indicates their simple generation, their automatic 

 growth and their haphazard origin, the sterility of 

 the vast majority shows that their fertility is a matter 

 of no moment, an accident quite immaterial to nature, 

 man, or the universe. For if one plant dies out an- 

 other comes in. 



In conclusion, with flowering plants as with flower- 

 less, all develop from a single cell automatically, 

 provided the necessary conditions for vegetal life be 

 present — heat, light, moisture — without these they 

 also automatically die. In flowers, equally with all 

 natural phenomena, consequents invariably automati- 

 cally succeed and are determined by antecedents : 

 change the antecedent conditions and automatically 

 the consequent effects vary. The evolution of flowers, 

 fruit, and seed is but the completion of the usual cycle 

 of life. Starting in the first place from the seed, or 

 primarily from the cell, all flowers are but modifica- 

 tions of the foliar organs. Though the flowers are 

 developed on the same plan as the leaves, they are 

 diverted by their environments, assume different 

 shapes, and perform different functions. Indeed, the 

 whole purpose of the complex machinery of fructi- 

 fication and consequent reproduction in plants, is 

 merely to isolate or detach from themselves a com- 

 plete cell. This accomplished, the cell works out its 

 own salvation. 



