Evening star., 1926-06-10

long probOscis. and he wondered what
Use II had for such a long snout. since
no known flower kept its honey so in
accessible that proboscis indicated.
Next year he found the flower whose
trumpet was so extremely extended
that no other insect could reach it's
nectar. Said DR.. Lumsden. What
sermon might be preached upon that
flower and insect. and the Crea tor who
had designed the one for the other
Then he demonstrated another mir
acle OF crea ton. There was = ma gnif-
cent orchid-the highest development
OF floral life. There is hut one hee
| that can sip the nectar Of that or
child said the scientist. See what
| happens when that bee enters 70 ge,
the honey"
The doctor poked the sharp point or
his pencil into the petsled flower. he
meath the stamens. and withdrew II.
There upon the pencil point was a
morsel Of pollen. more than an eighth
of an inch in diameter. which ad-
hered firmly 10 the pencil. with glue
like substa nee. just as il sticks fast
to the head of the bee. In nature the
bee. with it's precious burden Slued
to its head, would seek more nectar
in another orchard-percharce fe-
male fower-and AS the bee poked Its
| ncdu penedln tne SIdWPIS. 'nP DOt-
len grain would adhere to the flower.
With that orchid no powdered pollen
is blown from flower To flower. and IL
the special bee fails to distribute the
fertilizer pollen no new orchid is ere
ated All breeding Of the orchids out
side Of Venezuela or Colombia. where
the bee flies. must he done by florists
on the points of tOothpicks. which
carry forward the life-giving pollen.
Here are some horticultural nuts to
crack: Flowers which are indigenous
to their environment and are trans
ported to other surroundings and ell
mates radically change their habits
and even their colOrs and shapes. Tf
they had thorns and then are planted
where there is no use for defensive
thorns. the prickers disappear. F:v"-
luton?
Plants are hunorists. for they
mimic live animals and insects. TAX
ing on the exact appearance Of snakes
or insects which are Stunned hy the
enemies Of the plants. In that way
they scare of their enemies. Strange
~ they never initiate n snake or
insect which is not familiar i'm that
immediate environment. Surely an
artist must have his model visible
Nn1ie ne Shapes MS Clay or paints MS
cOIors. Thus the spider orchid looks
like lot of deadly tarantulas upon
stalk. and a moth orchid resembles
moths on a twig. Some look like
rattlesnakes: some even shake their
dry seeds in imitation of the warning
of the rattler. Do flowers think?
Not only do they mock the caution
of their enemies with appearance and
sound of rattling seeds. but also in
odors. They believe in advertising.
Some OF the most offensive odors at
tract certain insects which become
carriers Of pollen. and the odOrs do
not appear until the pollen is ripe for
distribution.
Theologians report that there haE
never been found people wholly de-
void Of sense of their Creator.
Florists and historians report that all
races, however primitive. love flowers.
The American Indians were devoted
to their brilliant beauty. When nat
ural gas escaped through veins OF
earth and caught fire. the Indians
named the flames, Fire flowers of
the prairie" The AZtecs had mag
nificent flower markets before CorteZ'
conquest-even floating islands in the
lake about Tenochtitlen Mexico city,.
devoted to the growing OF flowers for
the emperor and for market.
Flowers are civiliZing-taming--
even for hardened criminals. They
comfort the sick and carry fondest
messag ges of love. Robespierre loved
their beauty In the midst of his bloody
regime. While Solomon could not
array himself in such glory as the
lily, yet flowers were loved before
his day. as is testified by recent ex-
cavations near the City of Abraham
Ur of the Chaldees-where exquisite
blossoms created of stone and shells
have been discovered. These are
more than 5000 wears old.
Said Mahdmet. IF ! had hut two
1oaves of bread. 7 would sell one to
buy flowers. for bread feeds only tbs
bod. while. flowers feed the soul"
tCopyrirht 1898. by Paul V. CcllinsJ