THE FRAGRANT CALLA 11 



In any event the insects find this a snug 

 corner, the attractiveness of which is further 

 enhanced by the presence of a certain amount 

 of edible pollen. In short, for such insect tribes 

 as like the particular fare which the calla offers, 

 its beautiful white tube constitutes a liighly 

 attractive lodging place and lunchroom. 



Meantime, while the insects are lodging at the 

 base of the stalk on which the true flowers grow, 

 these flowers shed their pollen and let it settle 

 on the backs of the visitors. 



And when, in due course, the insects resume 

 their voyaging, they carry the pollen with them 

 and in time transport it to other calla blossoms; 

 for when they enter the new flower they are 

 likely to find the stalk at its center a convenient 

 alighting place, and crawling down this are sure 

 to leave some of the pollen in contact with 

 receptive pistils. 



That the pistils shall be those of a different 

 plant from the one that supplied the pollen is 

 insured by nature's famihar device of ha\'ing 

 the stamens and pistils of the same flower ripen 

 at different times. 



A Gift of Nature 



All this sufficiently explains the utility of the 

 large white modified leaf or spathe which we 



