The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-19
over its fellows is of the utmost import

over IT'S fellows is of the utmost import
ance.
The great business of plants is to make
seeds or to devise some other means Tor
propagating their species. They i've ior
this purpose and many die directly they
have accomplished it. To this end they
devote all their energies All their curious
shapes. beautiful colors, scents, and fruits
are made not for the purpose OF others
bur for their own ends, namely, the pro-
duction and dissemination of their SEEDS.
First. in its production, numDerless are
the ways in which growth of the seed OF
fostered and perfection insured. The plant
grows no from a seed, spreading its green
leaves to the sunshine that it may be nour-
ished and grow strong. The flower APP
pears as a bud. In the very center OF TINS,
carefully covered with many wrapplngs,
is the seed-vessel, with the inilnltesiHaai
specks which are to become trult. SLOWLY
the outer wrappers uncloSe, allowing tile
sunlight to penetrate to the ovary, as TINS
seed-vessel is called, but still sheltering II.
These outer leaves have usually tWofold
office to perform. Besides protecting the
little delicate ovary, they are often useo
to attract insects
We have sometimes been told that now
ers were made for the use of insects, but
it would be equally true to say that in
sects were made for the use OF Mowers.
However that may be, both exist, and are
mutually serviceable. Insects, we know,
get honey from flowers, but what can
flowers get from insects?
Tt happens this way Before the little
specks in the ovary can become true SEEDS
thew must be fertilized-that is, they must
receive the contents of the pollen grams.
Some flowers can fertilize their own seeds,
though it is better when they can get pol
len from another flower. In other cases,
the pollen is formed on another plant. me
pollen must then be conveyed in some way
from one plant to the other, and insects
are employed as messengers. To make
themselves as attractive as possible to the
insect world. plans provide stores of re-
treatment beautiful colors, and sweet
scents The insects-butteTflies moths,
bees. flies, etc.-come and visit them on
business or on pleasure and bring the nee
essary pollen, sticking to their bodies
from other flowers.
This is part of the fierce competition go
ing on among plants. Each species tries
to Guido the others in attracting custom
ers who in exchange for beauty, scent
or refreshment, carry to the flowers the
all-important pollen. Those that can not
attract are supplanted by those that can
they die and, leaving no seeds, become eX-
terminated unless they can find some
other means of propagating themselves.
The second great business of plants is
the distribution OF inc SteuS WITCH lApCs
The contrivances for this purpose are
most ingenious. The wings of the seeds
on fiji. cones, and the little parachutes on
the dandelion and thistle, provide that the
seeds shall be carried to a distance by the
wind. The little pricAles on burrs cause
them to be carried away on the coats Of
animals Fruits with sweet or pretty COW
erings, as cherries and plums, attract
birds, who eat them, but leave the in
digestible stones. These stones, which con-
tain the seeds, are often carried by the
birds to great distances.
These means of competition are unde-
niablv selfish, but of course are fair and
reliable Others are decidedly mean. If
several plants are growing together on a
particular piece of ground. and the space
becomes too small for ALL the larger and
stronger inevitably crush out the weaker
ones. If a number Of seedlings spring up
close together. the delicate ones are chok-
ed to death, or the more robust eat up all
the food, and the others starve.
Again there are others that are down
right thieves. They settle themselves on
their neighbors, and live entirely upon
them. There is the mstletoe, which gets
its living from the sap of the apple tree,
which the tree circulates for the benefit
of its own branches. The dodder, not to
commit it's theft so glaringly, begins by
having roots in the soil but it soon gives
up work and spOnges upon its host. The
ivy not unfrequently suangles the plant
which sustains it.
Thus we see that not only is each plant
struggling for its own existence, but each
variety, species and family is striving 10
gain some advantage over every othec
variety, species and family. II matters
not that they be brothers, cousins. sons
nay each new variety which has acquir-
ed some slight advantage beats and often
ruthlessly annihilates its parents the more
readily from the closer relationship
IL is a wonderful-nay, glorious battle
field The more we study Il the more
marvellous does it appear. We are be-
wildered and lose ourselves in the com
plexity of the laws which govern this stu
pendous fight. 1t Is worth our while to
follow these laws as far as we can watch
ing with reverent awe the mind which
framed and the hand which guides.
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