moved
the cylinder a little--rolled it over an inch or two. The next day he
rolled it over a little more. And so on each day, rolling it over a
little each time. Well, after a time Duhamel shook the dirt and growing
beans out of the cylinder, and what did he find? This, that the beans
in their endeavor to grow their roots downward had kept on bending each
day downward; and in their endeavor to send shoots upward, had kept on
bending upward a little each day, until at last there had been formed
two complete spirals--the one spiral being the roots ever turning
downward, and the other the shoots ever bending upward. How did the
plant know direction? What was the moving power. The Creative Will
behind the curtain again, you see!
Potatoes in dark cellars have sent out roots or sprouts twenty and
thirty feet to reach light. Plants will send out roots many feet to
reach water. They know where the water and light are, and where to
reach them. The tendrils of a plant know where the stake or cord is,
and they reach out for it and twine themselves around it. Unwind them,
and the next day they are found again twined around it. Move the stake
or cord, and the tendril moves after it. The insect-eating plants are
able to distinguish between nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous food,
accepting the one and rejecting the other. They recognize that cheese
has the same nourishing properties as the insect, and they accept it,
although it is far different in feeling, taste, appearance and every
other characteristic from their accustomed food.
Case after case might be mentioned and cited to show the operation of
the Will in plant-life. But wonderful as are many of these cases, the
mere action of the Will as shown in the _growing_ of the plant is just
as wonderful. Just imagine a tiny seed, and see it sprout and draw to
itself the nourishment from water, air, light and soil, then upward
until it becomes a great tree with bark, limbs, branches, leaves,
blossoms, fruit and all. Think of this miracle, and consider what must
be the power and nature of that Will that causes it.
The growing plant manifests sufficient strength to crack great stones,
and lift great slabs of pavement, as may be noticed by examining the
sidewalks of suburban towns and parks. An English paper prints a report
of four enormous mushrooms having lifted a huge slab of paving stone in
a crowded street overnight. Think of this exhibition of Energy and
Power. This wonderful fac
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