Milford chronicle., 1908-05-15
FLOWER WEDDINGS.
How the Insects Are Lured and the
Parts They Play.

Parts They Play.
The tulip as a coy lover and the wild
arum as decelver and murderer were
among some highly interesting exam
pies or little known phases OF plant and
flower life described by Professor Bot
tOmley, NJ. A., 10 q recent lecture at
the botanic gardens. Professor Bot
tomley. who is professor Of botany at
Kings college. entitled his lecture Eva
rious Marriage Customs Of Plant Life"
He explained how flowers entice In
sects into their service 10 order to get
married and so propagate their sPe-
Giles. Most flowers are dependent for
their fertilization upon insects, and so
the plants develop 10 such a way as to
attract the custom Of members Of the
insect world.
The first means OF attracting insects,
said Professor BottomIey, was a very
human one and consisted Of providing
free drinks. Every flower has secretsd
somewhere about It a large OF. small
store Of honey, to which the insect. be It
nudge or butterfly is attracted. But
as an additional attraction flowers de-
velop a beautiful scent or fascinating
appearance so as to attract the Insects
attention.
1t IS also interesting to note that the
simple flowers are married by simple
insects, mere curates, as the lecturer
described them. while the more elab-
crate flowers require more highly de-
veloped insects, such as bees or butter
tiies-blshOps.
Since the poor flower cannot go
a-woOing itself and must be dependent
upon the kindly errands Of insects, 1t
not only renders itself attractive 10
those messengers OF love, but provides
them with comforts in the form OF
convenient resting places. some orchids
even providing a little stool upon which
bees may sit and sip the honey.
OF course the whole object Of attract
ing insects is to make them bear the
pollen powder from one plant to an
other the introduction Of the pollen
making the fertilization Of the seeds
possible.
All plants are so arranged that while |
the insects they attract are drinking
their honey the pollen powder Is either |
being scattered over their bodies to be |
taken to another plant or the pollen |
already scattered on the insect is being |
swept Off by the stigmRs OF the seed
boxes. 1t is also interesting to notice
that those plants which attract moths,
which are night flying insects. are near
" always white and highly scented.
The pollen Of plant is most jealous
" guarded. That is why many flowers
close their petals on dull days. the idea
being to keep the pollen from rain.
This is particularly noticeable IN GRO
,useS.
Not only insects. but birds. snails
ind the wind. help the plant world to
make love The pollen grains Of the
zine tree which are spread by the wind
rave tiny balloons attached to them.
The lecturer concluded with a de-
criptlOn of the wild arum, which was
described as a really wicked plant
even murder in its love
making. The wild arum secretes a
honey that intoxicates insects, and,
lot content with this Generalization, It
evelops berries which attract birds.
But these berries also prove poison
US to birds, and so a bird, having
aten Of the berry. dies promptly, falls
} the earth and decays. The decaying
esh forms the best possible manure
Dr. the growth of the arum seed re-
laining undigested in the birds car
Mirror