Plant Life. 95 



animal world to eat and convey away unharmed 

 the seed within, to new fields for its develop- 

 ment. 



The berries entice that good may come to 

 them. 



The tiny seeds though swallowed will not digest, 

 they are but carried to other places, where they 

 may chance upon suitable soil for growth. 



" Eat this sweet pulp and cast away my seed 

 into new and fertile soil," the apple seems to say, 

 while the burr, the beggar's lice, the stick-tight, 

 cover their dear seeds with hooked mantles that 

 cling fasi to passers-by, and thus scatter the seed 

 over new fields. 



What applies to the animal life, in a general 

 way applies to the plant. 



Prevent the loss of the reproductive material, 

 and life can be prolonged ; to an extent even the 

 evanescent flower can be preserved by preventing 

 it from fulfilling its desire. 



Remove the anthers before they open from the 

 tall white lily, and the regal flower will not fade so 

 soon by several hours. Its activity is arrested, it 

 does not precipitate its whole life upon the perfect- 

 ing of seed, — it waits. Finally it fades, slowly 

 and lingeringly, as loath to leave unaccomplished 

 that high end for which it unfolded its beautiful 

 form. 



Its glorious vestment, like the wings of the but- 

 terfly, adorn it only for the season of love ; the 



