A WORLD OF WAR 



245 



THE WELL-ARMED SEEDS OF WILD CARROT. 



the manner in which many of our 

 stick-tights (Desmodium) cling to our 

 clothes or to the fur or hair of animals? 

 Their means of attack seem as care- 

 fully devised to accomplish the pur- 

 pose, and even to inflict pain, as any 

 method used by contending armies. 

 The pitchforks or stick-tights point 

 their armed spears in every direction 

 so as to pierce whatever comes in con- 

 tact with them. 



We have also the curious seeds of 

 the common wild carrot (Daucas ca- 

 rota). This plant is remarkably suc- 

 cessful in its struggle for existence. 

 Could there be any device of war more 

 skillfully planned or more successfully 

 worked out than these fiendish spears 

 with their sharp barbs? 



There are in many parts of the 

 United States grasses belonging to the 

 genus Stipa that have plumes and even 



THE STIPA GRASS HAS A SHARP POINT WITH INNUMERABLE BARBS ON THE SHAFT. 



