The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

RELATlONS OF ORGANISMS. 171deep has been the impression made on Mr.Darwin's mind by the evidence of provisionfor transference of pollen, that he closes hisvaluable and interesting book on the Fertilizationof Orchids with the following statements.Having remarked that " self-fertilization wouldhave been an incomparably safer and easierprocess than the transportal of pollen fromflower to flower," he adds these words,-" Itis hardly an exaggeration to say that Naturetells us, in the most emphatic manner, thatshe abhors perpetual self-fertilization." *The next result secured presents an importantrelation between animal life and vegetable.These flowers do not depend for theirfertilization upon the action of the wind,which in scattering profusely in all directionsmust occasion large waste of pollen. Thereis found to be distinct provision for carryingthe pollen from one flower to another by insects,such as the bees, whose industry ingathering honey has been celebrated fromancient times, specially because of our interestin the store-house, but with little suspicionof the double work being done by* The ~'arious Contrivances by which Orchids arefertilized by Insects,2d ed. p. 293.