Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-05-23
FLOWER WEDDINGS.
Now the Insects Are Lursd ard tire
Parts They Play.

The tulip as u coy lover and the wild
lrum US deceiyer and murderer were
among some highly interesting exam
Piles OF little known phases OF plant and
Hover life described by Professor Bot
iomley. VI. A., IN 4 recent lecture at
the botanic gardens. Professor Bot
iOmley. who Is professor OF botany at
Kings college. entitled bis lecture va
rlous Marriage Customs OF Plant Life"
He explained how towers entice In.
sects into their service In order TO get
married und 80 propagate their spe-
Giles. Most flowers are dependent for
their fertilization upon insects. and so
the plants develop In such way as to
attract the custom OF members Of the
insect world
The first means Of attracting insects.
said Professor Bottomley, was a very
human one and consisted OF providing
free drinks. Every flower has secreted
somewhere about Il large or small
store OF honey. TO which the insect. bs Il
nudge or butterfly Is attracted But
as an additional attraction flowers de-
yelop beautiful scent or fascinating
appearance SO AS to attract the insects
attention.
Ii IL also interesting TO note that the
simple flowers are married by simple
insects. mere cumtes. as the lecturer
described them while the more elab.
crate flowers require more highly de-
veloped insects. such as bees or butter
ties-blshops
Since the poor flower cannot go
a-woolng itself and must be dependent
upon the kindly errands OF insects. Il
not only renders itself attractive to
those messengers OF love. but provides
them with comforts in the form OF
convenient resting places, some orchids
even providing little stool upon which
bees may SIT and sip the honey.
or course the whole object OF attract
ing insects Is to make them bear the
pollen powder from one plant 10 an
other. the Introduction Of the pollen
making the fertilization OF the seeds
possible.
All plants are 30 arranged that while
Nht WY aAANhNA aAG
their honey the pollen powder IL either
being scattered over their bodies to bs
taken TO another plant or the pollen
already scattered on the insect Is being
swept OF by the stigmas OF the seed
boxes. II IL also interesting TO notice
that those plants which attract moths,
which are night dying insects, are near
~ always white and highly scented.
The pollen OF plant IL most Jealous.
ly 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
cuses
Not only Insects. but birds. snails
and the wind, help the plant world 70
make love. The pollen grains OF the
pine tree which are spread by the wind
have tiny balloons attached to them
The lecturer concluded with q de-
soription of the wild arum. which was
described as n really wicked plant,
committing even murder In It's love
making The Wild arum secretes Il
honey that intoxicates Insects, and,
not content with this decentralization. II
develops berries which attract birds.
But these berries also prove poison
Gus TO birds, and 30 a bird having
eaten OF the berry, dies promptly. falls
10 the earth aud decays. The decaying
flesh forms the best possible manure
for the growth OF the arum seed re-
ft,t, Ia, ha
cass.-Iondon Mirror.