LUTHER BURBANK 



conviction that the insect must be endowed with 

 intelligence almost of the human order. 



Plant Intelligence 

 Such a thought is dispelled, however, when 

 we reflect on the seeming intelligence of plants 

 themselves and the apparently well-reasoned 

 schemes by which certain flowers ensure the 

 taking of effective toll of the insects attracted 

 by their nectar. 



Even in the case of the yucca, it will be 

 observed that the plant was not quite a passive 

 partner in the arrangement through which the 

 perpetuation of its kind was assured. The pistil 

 of the flower had gradually been depressed below 

 the pollen-bearing anthers, in full confidence that 

 the moth would carry out its share of the 

 mutual compact. And when we reflect that this 

 conformation of stamens and pistil was doubtless 

 modified from an earlier arrangement less advan- 

 tageous to the plant, we are confronted with 

 evidence of a seemingly intelligent capacity to 

 adapt its structure to its needs on the part of the 

 plant that to some extent matches the apparent 

 intelligence of the insect. 



Similar evidence of seeming design on the part 

 of flowers in the arrangement for guarding against 

 self-poUenation meets us on every side. 



Consider, for example, the way in which the 



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