Vegetal Causes. 177 



depends almost solely on the complexity of the tele- 

 graph system. 



The most complete vegetal mechanism is, however, 

 simple compared to the simplest animal mechanism, 

 hence, a plant's intelligence is limited in comparison 

 to that of an animal. 



All vegetal as well as all mineral intelligence is 

 also unconscious or unintentional, the result solely of 

 stimuli or reflex action ; for although there seems an 

 apparent intention in a half-formed snow-shrub or 

 frost-fern to construct a leaf, in a plant with tendrils 

 to climb and clasp some support, in the mistletoe to 

 suck juices out of the elm, in the orchid to duck bees 

 in its bath, in the sun-dew and fly-trap to kill insects 

 and eat them, yet, at bottom, all act automatically, 

 for all can be hoaxed. Plants truly discriminate, but 

 only to a certain extent, and then only because 

 certain conditions automatically required by them 

 are fulfilled. Beyond these limits they are un- 

 conscious. 



We thus see that in its genesis or incipient stage 

 there is no more miraculous agency employed or re- 

 quired in the production of vegetal intelligence than 

 of vegetal life, hence plants are but automata, mere 

 playthings of their environments, positions, and con- 

 ditions ; and this intelligence is interesting to us 

 because foreshadowing or forerunning human intelli- 

 gence, of which we boast so much and with so little 

 cause. 



M 



