CANTO n. REPRODUCTION OF LIFE. 63 



" HENCE on green leaves the sexual Pleasures dwell, 

 And Loves and Beauties crowd the blossom's bell; 

 The wakeful Anther in his silken bed 

 O'er the pleased Stigma bows his waxen head; 

 With meeting lips and mingling smiles they sup 

 Ambrosial dewdrops from the nectar'd cup; 

 Or buoy'd in air the plumy Lover springs, 

 And seeks his panting bride on Hymen-wings. 2/0 



From the nectar'd cup, \. 268. The anthers and stigmas of flowers 

 are probably nourished by the honey, which is secreted by the honey- 

 gland called by Lumens the nectary; and possess greater sensibi- 

 lity or animation than other parts of the plant. The corol of the 

 flower appears to be a respiratory organ belonging to these anthers 

 and stigmas for the purpose of further oxygenating the vegetable 

 blood for the production of the anther dust and of this honey, Avhich 

 is also exposed to the air in its receptacle or honey-cup; which, I 

 suppose, to be necessary for its further oxygenation, as in many 

 flowers so complicate an apparatus is formed for its protection from 

 insects, as in aconitum, delphinium, larkspur, lonicera, woodbine; 

 and because the corol and nectary fall along with the antliers and 

 stigmas, when the pericarp is impregnated. 



Dr. B. S. Barton in the American Transactions has lately shown, 

 that the honey collected from some plants is intoxicating and poisonous 

 to men, as from rhododendron, azalea, and datura ; and from some 

 other plants that it is hurtful to the bees which collect it; and that 

 from some flowers it is so injurious or disagreeable, that they do not 

 collect it, as from the fritillaria or crown imperial of this country. 



