CHARACTERS OF ENDOGENS. 75 



But, papa," he added, "do you not think that 

 there is something about endogens that would 

 almost tell you what they are at a distance, with- 

 out examining the leaves ? Look at the lilies and 

 daffodils in the garden ; how delicate they seem, 

 as if they grew up very quickly, and would not 

 last long. They do not look strong and hardy 

 like other plants." 



"Endogens," said his father, "are less highly 

 organized than exogens, and are, generally speak- 

 ing, very short-lived. There are exceptions to 

 this, for some of the palms live two or three hun- 

 dred years; but even in this case their existence 

 is short, compared with that of many of our forest 

 trees. Before we begin our last great division of 

 the vegetable world, let me give you one other 

 character by which endogens are in most cases to 

 be known. In examining their flowers we shall 

 find the number three, or some multiple of that 

 number, to prevail, while in exogens the number 

 five, or its multiple, generally prevails." 



Mary gathered a snowdrop, and looked at the 

 blossom. "There are more than three of these 

 pretty white petals," she said. 



Her father pointed out to her that there are six 



