Chapter I

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THE MOVEMENTS AND HABITS OF PLANTS.

The Movement of Plants in Relation to their Wants 2

The Power of Movement in Animal and Plant compared 4

Advantages of Cross-Fertilization 6

Potency of the Sexual Elements in Plants 6

Experiments in Crossing 8

The Struggle for Existence among Seeds 9

Practical Application of these Views 9

Marriages of First Cousins 11

Development of the Two Sexes in Plants 12

Why the Sexes have been reseparated 14

Comparative Fertility of Male and Female Plants 15

Effect of Climate on Reproduction 16

Causes of Sterility among Plants 17

An “Ideal Type” or Inevitable Modification 18

Special Adaptations to a Changing Purpose 19

An Illustration 21

As interesting on the Theory of Development as on that of Direct
Interposition 22

The Sleep of the Plants 24

Self-Protection during Sleep 25

Influence of Light upon Plants 28

Influence of Gravitation upon Plants 29

The Power of Digestion in Plants 31

Diverse Means by which Plants gain their Subsistence 34

How a Plant preys upon Animals 35

II.

THE PART PLAYED BY WORMS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS PLANET.

They preserve Valuable Ruins 42

They prepare the Ground for Seed 43

Intelligence of Worms 45