104 {Instinct and Reason. [ February, 
a suitable nutritive element, as are all animal and vegetable sub- 
stances and some minerals ; or pass around it; or still again, as in 
extreme cases, to bury it up in its own substance, as are stones, 
bayonets, nails and the like. 
For its protection, defence and reproduction the plant has at 
hand sufficient means, Some of the many devices for these pur- 
poses have already been noticed. The manner of plant repro- 
duction is familiar to all; the object being in all cases the contact 
between pollen and ovary or seed vessel. In this way the 
propagation of most plants is effected. In regard to the 
flowerless or cryptogamous flora, spores, it will be found, take the 
place of seeds proper. Yet for all that, the principle of repro- 
duction remains the same in both divisions. 
Such, then, are the organs, functions and factors exercised in 
the life of a plant. It now remains for us to consider how these 
are put into action according to the means at hand, pursuing as 
the plant does, many times, a most reasonable course, and acting 
in a manner so peculiar as to excite our wonder and admiration. 
We must first remember, however, that we have to do with a form 
of life whose phenomena have been but little studied, for it was 
not till late in the period of the Renaissance that botany became a © 
a separate science, and that plants had a natural classication of 
their own. 
Plants are susceptible of improvement, which is well shown by 
cultivation. Thus flowers take upon themselves a great variety 
of forms and colors, and sometimes to so great an extent as 
almost to deserve to be classed as new and distinct species. But 
yet there is sufficient likeness between them, some characteristics 
traceable to the original stock ; or some peculiarities due to 
inheritance ; some similitude to the parent to make them belong 
to the same species. Darwin considers all the different species, 
or varieties of pansy to be derived from one parent, as may be said. 
in reference to the pigeon and the dog kind. 
Trees often adapt themselves, in a remarkable degree, to the 
surrounding circumstances. Thus the feral oak, growing as it 
does in the midst of other trees, which oftentimes are densely 
crowded together, sends out branches at a more acute angle than 
does the meadow or cultivated oak. Much difficulty is experienced 
in cultivating the feral variety, so as to give it the grace and 
: : 1First Nat. Sys. Bernard de Jussieu, 1759; Figuier Vegetable World. 
