xX 
THE COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE OF PLANTS 
N considering the marriage of plants it is neces- 
sary to touch briefly on the physiology of 
plants. This, however, has been done as lightly as 
possible, and with as little indulgence in technical 
terms as could be used to give a clear understand- 
ing of their impulses and actions in their courtship 
and marriage, and of the dependence of plants one 
upon another for the reproduction of their kind. 
Plants are divided into two distinct sexes, male 
and female. They have eyes with which they see; 
they have mouths with which they eat, and stomachs 
to digest their food. Their stomachs are in the 
form of leaves, nevertheless they serve the purpose. 
They have lungs with which they breathe; and they 
are capable of drinking water. The water is taken 
in by different mouths from those with which they 
take in their food. Great trees of the forest neces- 
sarily have big mouths, in the form of roots, and 
these mouths act as regular water-carriers which 
reach far into the damp ground and drink up great 
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