Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 221, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1914 — Nature’s Wisdom. [ARTICLE]

Nature’s Wisdom.

When the world was young its inhabitants took the naive view that it was adorned to minister to their pleasure. This view, alas, has had to give way under the attacks of the modern scientist. We now know, thanks to these men, that the refreshing green of the wood and meadows is not provided for our enjoyment, but for the serious and practical purpose of plant nutrition; the flowers display their bright colors to attract the insect that conveys the pollen from stamen to sigma. *» By the same .token, it appears, the alpine hare is snow colored so as to be hidden from the sight of its’enemy; while the lion is tawny and the tiger is striped, in order that they may be indistinguishable from, the natural background as they lie in wait for their prey. All these facts are plain enough/and we admire the perfection of these adaptations. Indeed, it may be said that we how entertain a feeling of intelligent appreciation of their greater worth than the ignorant worship o 4 old.