e 106 BOTANY. 
and doubtless would if it only fruited every ten years instes il 
every two, and especially when we see the Liriodendron 
most of its seeds infertile and yet very widely distributed, m 
: we not regard the profusion of English seed useless? 
And in regard to the pine pollen, certainly after granting i 
widest margin for * insurance against all losses,” the vast pr 
tion is useless so far as any benefit to the individual or spec 
directly concerned.* If we regard pine pollen as produced by: 
ture for the purpose not of fertilization merely, but for the pul 
of forming coal also (see Huxley on coal), it would suit a popwa 
idea of utility in nature. But the coal formed out of depo 
pollen from Sigillarias and Lepidodendrons, serves no purp 
these plants. 
It was in this sense that I meant the over production u 
and in this sense I suppose I should differ from much in mo 
philosophy, which, as I understand it, seeks in every prol 
of life a benefit to the parent which produced it. Yet in one 
the production may not be regarded as useless. A boy wi i 
ao Pama our bit of criticism which Mr. Meehan fails Pe ane me e poit 
Table 
the seeds to be fertilized. ‘This excess of pollen Mr. 
Y h 
nings for which sf 
tk 
fei -toe conti ane personi ification — before he condemns Da 
ever ?” 
ow, while we plead “ t igor of Dame Aar 
particular sie it rit may be allowable to bring shinies to her general wet 
for economy s to be served by profusion. 
© purpose Tako 
surely fertile iar PNE of Impatiens (referred to on page 
imilar flowers of violets, Specularia, and the like, where nature 
ization, and therefore shuts up anthers and stigma together, and endows 
e power to send out their tubes from the one to aai reer 
|, insects, or other carriers—here a superabundance 
in these cases — and in rge de grains of p 
exceed the number of ovules to be fi 
Apropos to the paucity of seeds whieh mature in graps yr? 
are m others, but ile showin 
from in the struggle for life, we were piapia to explain oe phat a factor 
tively, the mere num umber of progeny mu st be in the problem f natural se 
that is best d Dveri “ Origin of Species; » asl 
to thé paragraph in which he states that the Fulmar petrel ‘ays but one 
believed to numerous bird in the world.”— EDITORS. 
pee do not 
