1'i.ANTS. 239 



dining year. When we come, however, to look more closely 

 into the structure of this plant, we find that, instead of its 

 being neglected, nature has gone out of her course to pro- 

 vide for its security, and to make up to it for all its defects. 

 The seed-vessel, which in other plants is situated within the 

 cup of the flower, or just beneath it, in this plant lies buried 

 ten or twelve inches under ground, within the bulbous root. 

 The tube of the flower, which is seldom more than a few 

 tenths of an inch long, in this plant extends down to the 

 root. The styles in all cases reach the seed-vessel ; but it 

 is in this, by an elongation unknown to any other plant. 

 All these singularities contribute to one end. " As this 

 plant blossoms late in the year, and probably would not have 

 time to ripen its seeds before the access of winter, which 

 vYould destroy them, Providence has contrived its structure 

 such, that this important office may be performed at a depth 

 in the earth out of reach of the usual eflects of frost. "=^ That 

 is to say, in the autumn nothing is done above ground but 

 the business of impregnation ; which is an affair between 

 Ihe antherae and the stigmata, and is probably soon over. 

 The maturation of the impregnated seed, which in other 

 plants proceeds within a capsule, exposed together with the 

 rest of the flower to the open air, is here carried on, and 

 during the whole winter, within the heart, as we may say, 

 of the earth, that is, " out of the reach of the usual cffectJ^ 

 of frost." But then a new difficulty presents itself Seeds, 

 though perfected, are known not to vegetate at this depth 

 in the earth. Our seeds, therefore, though so safely lodged, 

 would, after all, be lost to the purpose for which all seeds 

 are intended. Lest this should be the case, " a second ad- 

 mirable provision is made to raise them above the surface 

 when they are perfected, and to sow them at a proper dis- 

 tance," namely, the germ grows up in the spring, upon a 

 fruit-stalk, accompanied with leaves. The seeds noW; in 

 common wif,h those of other plants, have the benefit of the 

 * Withering's Botan. Arr., vol. I., p. '^(S0. 



