ht angles
from the stem, and half concealed by the leaves of the row above them.
Like many other wind-fertilized flowers, the stamens and pistils are
collected on different plants--a plan which absolutely insures
cross-fertilization, without the aid of the insects. I pick one of the
stamen-bearing clusters, and can see that it is made up of small
separate green blossoms, each with four tiny leaf-like petals, and with
four stamens doubled up in the center. I touch the flowers with the tip
of my pocket knife, and in a second the four stamens jump out
elastically as if alive, and dust the white pollen all over my fingers.
Why should they act like this? Such tricks are not uncommon in
bee-fertilized flowers, because they insure the pollen being shed only
when a bee thrusts his head into the blossom; but what use can this
device be to the wind-fertilized nettle? I think the object is somewhat
after this fashion. If the pollen were shed during perfectly calm
weather, it would simply fall upon the ground, without reaching the
pistils of neighboring plants at all. But by having the stamens thus
doubled up, with elastic stalks, it happens that even when ripe they do
not open and shed the pollen unless upon the occurrence of some slight
concussion. This concussion is given when the stems are waved about by
the wind; and then the pollen is shaken out under circumstances which
give it the best chance of reaching the pistil.

Finally, there is the question of fruit. In the fig and mulberry the
fruit is succulent, and depends for its dispersion upon birds and
animals. In the nettle it takes the form of a tiny, seed-like, flattened
nut. Why is this, again? One might as well ask, why are we not all Lord
Chancellors or Presidents of the Royal Academy. Each plant and each
animal makes the best of such talents as it has got, and gets on by
their aid; but all have not the same talents. One survives by dint of
its prickles; another by dint of its attractive flowers; a third by its
sweet fruit; a fourth by its hard nut-shell. As regards stings, the
nettle is one of the best protected plants; as regards flower and fruit,
it is merely one of the ruck. Every plant can only take advantage of any
stray chances it happens to possess; and the same advantageous
tendencies do not show themselves in all alike. It is said that once a
certain American, hearing of the sums which Canova got for his
handicraft, took his son to the great man's studio, and i