Fasten open their leaves and so prevent their 

 ib GAR , , .,, . , , ,. 



repose, and they will wither and die. 



The philosopher, too, has a word to say on 

 this subject. For where is to be drawn the line 

 between conscious and unconscious activity? 

 Philosophically it is more probable that all life 

 is conscious in different degrees than that there 

 is a dualism, part conscious, and part -un- 

 conscious. 



It would be difficult for us to say what kind 

 of consciousness plants have without more 

 light on the subject; but surely there is abun- 

 dant room for reflection as we move among our 

 flowers or roam through wood and field. 



How far, then, may a sane man who has 

 in his life a place for sentiment press this 

 thought of community of interest and pleas- 

 ure with his flowers without being merely 

 fanciful ? 



How far in the evolution of life the plant 

 has come we may not know, but I am far from 

 denying what the poet has long loved to be- 

 lieve and the scientist now tells us may be true. 



[58] 



