The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-26

esthetic sense perhaps before he had
learned to make fire, even-the primitive
flower bore only these pistils and stamens,
with little outer protective whorl of
green petals. Itwas fertilized by the pollen
falling. upon the pistils. But this was not
good for the plant. Those flowers that in
some way became fertilized by pollen from
other plants, by cross-fertilization in fact,
became healthier and stronger than those
fertilized by their own pollen.
In such plants as windblown pollen
reached, this cross-fertiliZation was an easy
matter. But the buttercup was not one of
these. It was forced to rely upon the
services of insects for fertilization. So the
plant began to secrete sweet drop at the
base of each green petal. Such insects as
discovered this nectar and stopped to
drink got busted with the pollen of the
plant and carried it to another flower,
which it fertilized, and the insect. getting
a fresh supply of pollen along with his
nectar. carried it on still further. This
was very good so far as it went, but the
flowers were pale and unattractive Many
OF them the insects never saw, and these
escaped cross-fertilization. Certain ones.
however, had the calyx of green petals
larger or brighter colored than others, and
these the insects found 1t happened.
therefore. that the flowers with bright-coI-
cored petals were fertilized, and their de-
scendants were bright colored. Natural
selection thus in course of time produced
the buttercup, with bright yellow petals,
because these attracted the insect best
adapted to fertiize it. So you see the
flower has bright petals, because it is
fittest to survive. If mans esthetic sense
is gratified by the sight of their beauty,
why, man is by so much the better off; but
that man is pleased with the bright color
is not of half as much importance to the
buttercup as is the pleasure of the particu-
lar little winged beetle that is attracted by
its shining gold and knows that it means
honey.
In the same way the lupine over there,
has developed it's blue petals because itsis
fertilized by bees. Blue is the favorite
color of this dainty little toiler, and next
in choice he prefers red. So most bee-blos-
SONS are blue or red, and they are SO
shaped that they do not yield up their
sweets very readily to any other insect.
The humming bird robs them by punctur-
ing through the outside of the calyx with
his sharp little bill and sucking the honey.
Most of our small white flowers are fertil-
lied by the little flies and those insects that
fly by night. This is the reason why our
white blossoms are usually more fragrant
than their brighter-hued sisters. They do
not need their snowy hues to attract the
nightly visitors, but they do need perfume
to serve the same end.
You will see another curious provision in
this mimulus by the bank, the monkey
plant, with its queer little grinning flower.
1t is fertiliZed by the bumble-bee. There
is big black and yellow fellow just going
in. He alights on the projecting lip of the
lowest petal. He does not need to say
"Open sesame" His own weight opens
the portal to him., He enters, drinks his
fill Of honey and gets his broad back COW
cred with pollen. 1t is so high up in the
arch of the cup that a smaller insect could
not be touched by it. So if honey bee or
fly were to alight on that fowery thres.
hold demanding entrance, entrance would
not be granted. The plant has no use for
him, he is too small to open the calyx bv
his weight and he would go away empty
mouthed.
Now do you understand something of
the fascination that lies in this apparently
idle loafing in the grass of an upland
meadow. A wise teacher told me once his
experience with restless, unmanageable
boy. 81 could do nothing with him." he
said. "until ! got him interested in field