The phenomenon of the extraordinary doubling of the canals when first announced was immediately disbelieved; when, however, other observers confirmed Schiaparelli's discoveries, and it became evident that these double lines had a veritable existence, the phenomenon was regarded as an evidence that profound physical changes were going on in the planet. Thus in 1887 Mr. Stanislaus Maunier, in "La Nature,"[6] in alluding to the remarkable discovery of the doubling of the canals, says: "Mars at this moment is the theatre of phenomena of stupendous grandeur which will be adequate in a few years to impress profound changes in its aspect." This was written in 1887, and continuous observations of the planet since that time have shown no profound changes, or changes of any kind beyond those which periodically occur with the seasons. Since Mars is a much older planet than the Earth, it seems reasonable to believe that it is more stable, that volcanoes and earthquakes have long ceased to manifest their activities, that erosive action by water is no longer in evidence, subsidence and elevation of continental areas no longer occur. From this condition of the planet it is impossible to believe that the curious phenomenon of the doubling or gemination of the canals can be due to any physical changes now taking place. Schiaparelli said that many of the ingenious suppositions advanced to account for this doubling of the canals would not have been proposed had their authors been able to examine the gemination with their own eyes; he further says: "It is far easier to explain the gemination if we are willing to introduce the forces pertaining to organic nature; here the field of plausible supposition is immense," and in this field of suppositions he suggests "changes of vegetation over vast areas." Let any intelligent mind soberly consider this rational suggestion of Schiaparelli's and compare it with other theories that have been advanced, and he will be compelled to admit that vegetation alone gives us at least a clew to the extraordinary behavior of these parallel lines. To understand the symmetry, the suddenness, and the vast extent of this phenomenon, the further explanation of vegetation superinduced by artificial methods will alone complete the answer.