PARASITIC PLANTS 



Then an eruption of flowers appears, from which later on 

 hundreds of tiny seeds are let loose which will become 

 Dodders in their turn. 



The series of parasitic plants which have now been 

 mentioned form a very interesting set. It must be pointed 

 out that those which live merely on dead vegetable matter 

 are " good " plants. They help on the quick and thorough 

 employment of worn-out material. 



Nor can we say off-hand that other parasites are " bad."*' 

 They do kill other plants and do them harm, but then, are 

 they not like a cattle-breeder who sends his inferior cattle 

 to the butcher, keeping only those which are the very best of 

 their kind ? Perhaps these plants, by destroying the weak 

 and unhealthy kinds, are doing a great deal of good. 



Another interesting point about such parasites is that 

 they are generally rare. They must be less common than 

 their " host." Yet another is that they are all " degenerates."" 

 They show distinct traces of decay and bad development in 

 their flowers and seed. That is also true in the case of 

 parasitic animals. 



Whether they do good or harm to the world of plants is 

 doubtful, but there is no doubt that they are doing harm to 

 their own chances ! 



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