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The Fairy-Land of Science
·
Arabella B. Buckley
191
So
far
as
we
know,
it
is
entirely
for
this
purpose
that
the
plants
form
honey
in
different
parts
of
the
flower,
sometimes
in
little
bags
or
glands,
as
in
the
petals
of
the
buttercup
flower,
sometimes
in
clear
drops,
as
in
the
tube
of
the
honeysuckle.
This
food
they
prepare
for
the
insects,
and
then
they
have
all
sorts
of
contrivances
to
entice
them
to
come
and
fetch
it.
You
will
remember
that
the
plants
of
the
coal
had
no
bright
or
conspicuous
flowers.
Now
we
can
understand
why
this
was,
for
there
were
no
flying
insects
at
that
time
to
carry
the
pollen-
dust
from
flower
to
flower,
and
therefore
there
was
no
need
of
coloured
flowers
to
attract
them.
But
little
by
little,
as
flies,
butterflies,
moths
and
bees
began
to
live
in
the
world,
flowers
too
began
to
appear,
and
plants
hung
out
these
gay-
coloured
signs,
as
much
as
to
say,
"Come
to
me,
and
I
will
give
you
honey
if
you
will
bring
me
pollen-dust
in
exchange,
so
that
my
seeds
may
grow
healthy
and
strong."
We
cannot
stop
to
inquire
to-day
how
this
all
gradually
came
about,
and
how
the
flowers
gradually
put
on
gay
colours
and
curious
shapes
to
tempt
the
insects
to
visit
them;
but
we
will
learn
something
about
the
way
they
attract
them
now,
and
how
you
may
see
it
for
yourselves
if
you
keep
your
eyes
open.
For
example,
if
you
watch
the
different
kinds
of
grasses,
sedges
and
rushes,
which
have
such
tiny
flowers
that
you
can
scarcely
see
them,
you
will
find
that
no
insects
visit
them.
Neither
will
you
ever
find
bees
buzzing
round
oak-trees,
nut-trees,
willows,
elms
or
birches.
But
on
the
pretty
and
sweet-smelling
apple-
blossoms,
or
the
strongly
scented
lime-trees,
you
will
find
bees,
wasps,
and
plenty
of
other
insects.
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