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PERSONALITY OF PLANTS<br />
In the higher <strong>plants</strong> the same process is car-<br />
ried out in a little more elaborate way. Of the<br />
two cells which unite, one is small and active,<br />
and is called the male or pollen cell. The other<br />
is larger, richer and more passive, and is the<br />
ovule or female cell.<br />
It is one <strong>of</strong> the main objects <strong>of</strong> each plant's<br />
life to see that its ovules are fertilized by pollen<br />
grains from some other member <strong>of</strong> the same<br />
species. When this is impossible, flowers are<br />
reduced to fertilizing themselves, but if this<br />
continues very long, degeneracy is very apt to re-<br />
sult. It is not wise to marry one's first cousin.<br />
Many <strong>plants</strong> depend upon the wind to dis-<br />
tribute their pollen. Such species bear slight,<br />
inconspicuous flowers which not infrequently<br />
cluster together in long, pendent catkins. This<br />
was undoubtedly the first and original form <strong>of</strong><br />
plant marriage. Though <strong>of</strong>ten successful, it<br />
is very wasteful and undependable. "The wind<br />
bloweth where it listeth" and loses a million<br />
grains <strong>of</strong> pollen for every one it lodges.<br />
One hazy day in the long ago, some plant<br />
had a brilliant idea. "There are a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> insects which are in the habit <strong>of</strong> paying me<br />
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