The morning-glory, you see, is as wise as it is beautiful.
WHY ARE THE FLOWERS SO LARGE AND BRIGHT?
Why are the flowers so large and bright?
We cannot say that they were always so. It is probable they were not. But good Mother Nature has watched over them as they came upon the earth, and she has lovingly made them so large and bright.
How could she do this? Let us see. Here is a tangle of plants. They all bear flowers and all set seeds. Some are stronger and more beautiful than others. The seeds fall to the ground. Those from strong and beautiful plants are larger and stronger than the others. After a while the seeds sprout. Not all do this, however. The very weakest do not sprout. Dear Mother Nature has other work for them. “You are not suited to struggle in the earth with the strong seeds, dears,” she whispers and lays them to rest. They do not wake up; the materials in them change. These materials let go of each other; they depart from the seed; some as gases float off in the air; others as minerals sink in the earth. The gases and the minerals are not lost. They join some other plant and help to make it strong.
“It is better to help another than to try to grow yourselves,” Mother Nature whispers to these little seeds that could not sprout. And they are happy. They are glad to change into gases and minerals and help another plant to grow.
Many of the seeds sprout, but not all grow up and blossom. There is not room in the earth for all the seeds to grow; there is not food enough in the air to feed so many. Mother Nature with her kind eye looks over the growing plants.
She smiles and shakes her head at those trying to grow in shady places.