ASSOCIATE LIFE OF PLANTS 



watching over the spring, for she would infallibly suffer 

 from rheumatism and ague. 



But every living cell in every plant in such an oasis 

 depends upon the water of the spring. All the plants there 

 form an association which can be quite well compared to a 

 city or some other association of human beings. They do 

 compete, for they struggle to do the most work for the good 

 of the community, and they incidentally obtain their liveli- 

 hood in the process. 



Most plant societies or associations such as those which 

 cover Great Britain are not so obviously dependent on one 

 particular spring, but the plants composing them are asso- 

 ciated in a very similar way. 



26 



