THE CROCUS, AND SOME DREAMING 35 



of its loveliest effort, it perseveringly bides its time, 

 gathering in those forces, meanwhile, which shall 

 enable it to make a further brave attempt the 

 next year. 



But this is not all : its contented smile means 

 more than this. Through ages of ceaseless striving 

 with circumstance, it has evolved so nice a capacity 

 in itself as to be able to successfully defy circum- 

 stance in very large and important measure. For, 

 by infinite patience and dogged tenacity of purpose, 

 it has arrived at keeping its seed -producing chamber 

 beneath the soil at this inclement season. It has 

 caused the stem of its flower to be a connecting- 

 duct between its seed-vessels and its pollen-bearing 

 stamen, so that, brief as may be its bloom's perfec- 

 tion, the early, eager bee, fly, or beetle may 

 successfully achieve the beneficent work of inocula- 

 tion ; or, even should no insects be about, the 

 stigmas, of their own contriving, dust themselves 

 with pollen from the anthers. Should, then, its 

 flower and stem be soon after beaten to the 

 ground, the process of seed - development goes 

 forward below, and will be brought to fruition 

 above the ground under later and more favourable 

 auspices. Thus, through faithful and consistent 

 endeavour to conquer its disabilities, it has evolved, 



