XVII. 



SEED - SCATTERING 



THE great end of a plant's life is to bear fruit. It 

 is for this that roots and leaves collect nourishment, 

 and that insects and birds are attracted to the blos- 

 soms by bright colours and the prospect of food. 

 So entirely, indeed, is fruit-bearing the aim of the 

 plant's life, that many plants are dry and withered by 

 the time the fruit is ripe, having given up all their sap, 

 their very life, to bring it to perfection. In any case, 

 whether it last for one year or two, or many, the 

 plant's life is devoted to making preparation for its 

 offspring. 



For this reason few wild flowers are double, as the 

 number of petals must be increased at the expense of 

 stamens and pistils, and without these fruit is im- 

 possible. 



A cherry-tree covered with double-blossoms may be 

 very ornamental, but the gardener grows it for its 

 blossoms only, and does not expect fruit from it. 

 When his object is fruit, however, he sometimes 

 interferes in another way, which has the same result, 

 so far as the plant is concerned ; for he increases the 

 eatable part of the fruit, in some cases, as he increases 

 the number of the petals at the expense of the seed. 



