THE FLOWER. 209 



said to have two styles with one ovary, containing sev- 

 eral cells or cavities for seeds ; in others, it is the styles 

 which adhere together while the ovaries are detached, and 

 in some few the adhesion takes place only between the 

 stigmas. 



Immediately surrounding the pistil are situated the sta- 

 mens; each of which consists of a slender filament sup- 

 porting a little bag or case called anther, filled with pollen, 

 a species of dust or powder. The anthers when ripe 

 burst, and, being more elevated than the stigma, shed 

 their pollen, upon it, and the seeds are thus perfected. 



Emily. Yet I have heard that there are some plants 

 whose flowers have no stamens, and others which have 

 no pistils : in this case, how can the pollen of the stamens 

 fall upon the stigma of the pistils ? Nature has, no doubt, 

 provided some resource to overcome the difficulty. 



Mrs. B. Or, rather, it is a provision she has specially 

 made in favor of another part of the creation. The pollen 

 is sometimes conveyed by winged insects, which, in pene- 

 trating, by means of their long and pliant probosces, with- 

 in the recesses of the corolla, in order to obtain the nectar, 

 cover their downy wings with the pollen. 



This unheeded burden they convey to the next flower 

 on which they alight ; and, in working their way to the 

 nectary, it is rubbed off and falls on the stigma : this com- 

 pensation they make for the honey of which they rob the 

 flower ; and they thus unconsciously labor for those plants, 

 which afford them food. Every insect, however epheme- 

 ral, every weed, however insignificant, has its part assign- 

 ed, in the great system of the universe. 



In Persia, very few of the palm and date trees under 

 cultivation have stamens, those having pistils being pre- 

 ferred, as alone yielding fruit. In the season of flower- 

 ing, the peasants gather branches of the wild palm-trees 

 whose blossoms contain stamens, and spread them over 

 those which are cultivated, in order that the pollen may 

 come in contact with the pistils and fructify the seeds. 



1143. What is said of the ovaries being detached or confined together 

 in different flowers! 1144. What is said of the stamens and anthers'? 

 1145. What objection does Emily make to what Mrs. B. says of sta- 

 mens and anthers'? 1146. How does Mrs. B. reply to her 1 ? 1147. 

 What compensation do winged insects sometimes make for the nectary 

 they obtain! 1148.- What is said of palm and date trees in Per- 

 ifel 



18* 



