morning at six o'clock. Come here, Davy. This boy will take you where I shall tell him."
She looked from the one to the other. "I'll risk it," she said.
"Put on a clean frock, and take a change of linen with you and your dressing-things. No harm shall come to you."
"I'm not afraid," she answered, but looked as if she would cry.
"Of course you will not tell any one."
"I will not, Mr. MacPhail."
"You are trusting me a great deal, Rose, but I am trusting you too — more than you think. Be off with that bag, Davy, and be here at six to-morrow morning to carry this young woman's for her." Davy vanished.
"Now, Rose," continued Malcolm, "you had better go and make your preparations."
"Is that all, sir?" she said.
"Yes. I shall see you to-morrow. Be brave."
Something in Malcolm's tone and manner seemed to work strangely on the girl. She gazed up at him half frightened, but submissive, and went at once, looking, however, sadly disappointed.
Malcolm had intended to go and tell Mr. Graham of his plans that same night, but he found himself too much exhausted to walk to Camden Town. And thinking over it, he saw that it might be as well if he took the bold measure he contemplated without revealing it to his friend, to whom the knowledge might be the cause of inconvenience. He therefore went home and to bed, that he might be strong for the next day.
ON CERTAIN RELATIONS BETWEEN PLANTS AND INSECTS.[1]
At the close of the last century, Sprengel published a remarkable memoir on the relations of flowers and insects, and showed in a variety of cases how beautifully the flowers were so constructed as to secure their fertilization by insects. Neither plants nor insects, indeed, would be what they are, but for the influence which each has exercised on the other. Some plants, indeed, are altogether dependent on insects for their very existence. We know now, for instance, that certain plants produce no seeds at all, unless visited by insects. Thus, in some of our colonies, the common red clover sets no seeds on account of the absence of humble-bees; for the proboscis of the hive bee is not long enough to effect the object. According to Mr. Belt, the same is the case, for the same reason, in Nicaragua, with the scarlet-runner. But even in those instances in which it is not absolutely necessary, it is a great advantage that the flowers should be fertilized by pollen brought from a different plant, and, with this object in view, insects are tempted to visit flowers for the sake of the honey and pollen; while the colors and scents are useful in making the flowers more easy to find.
Fortunately for us, bees like the same odors as we do; and as the great majority of flowers are adapted for bees, they are consequently sweet; but it might have been otherwise, for flies prefer evil smells, such as those of decaying meat, and other animal substances on which they live as larvae, and some flowers, consequently, which are fertilized by them, are characterized by very evil odors. Colors, also, are affected in the same manner, for while bee flowers (if I may coin such an expression) have generally bright, clear colors, fly flowers are usually reddish or yellowish brown.
The real use of honey now seems so obvious that it is remarkable to see the various theories which were once entertained on the subject. Patrick Blair thought that the honey absorbed the pollen, and then fertilized the ovary. Pontedera thought it kept the ovary in a moist condition. Linnæus confessed his inability to solve the question. Other botanists considered that it was useless material thrown off in the process of growth. Krünitz observed that in meadows much visited by bees the plants were more healthy, but the inference he drew was, that the honey, unless removed, was very injurious, and that the bees were of use in carrying it off.
Kurr observed that the formation of honey in flowers is intimately associated with the maturity of the stamens and pistil. He lays it down, as a general rule, that it very seldom commences before the opening of the anthers, is generally most copious during their maturity, and ceases so soon as the stamens begin to wither, and the development of the fruit commences. Rothe's observations also led him to a similar conclusion, and yet neither of these botanists perceived the intimate association which exists between the presence of honey and the period at which the visits
- ↑ The substance of this article was delivered as a lecture before the Society of Arts. Some additions have been made to it, in its present form.
