Roses and Apples 53 
sidered ridiculous to imagine the progenitor of these 
single-seeded shrubs and trees arguing that now the 
plant had attained such large proportions it was not 
necessary to cover itself with blossoms, each producing 
twenty or more seeds. “Let us produce a goodly 
number of seeds, but make them larger, so that on 
germinating they may more rapidly grow big and 
strong; one or two seeds to a flower, and the value of 
the material saved expended in a good thick attractive 
coat that will tempt birds to swallow them whole, 
without thinking to look for the seeds.” Then, of 
course, the seed had to be protected against digestive 
fluids, for the fleshy part of the fruit being soft and 
juicy would soon be dissolved. And so the carpel 
was made thick and hard, strong enough to resist 
digestion and pass out with the seed uninjured. To 
taste first these wild Cherries and Plums, and then 
the Bramble fruit, will give us a notion of the varying 
tastes of birds. That some of them should enjoy acid, 
bitter, and austere fruits of this kind, should not, 
however, occasion any surprise, for we know that 
some poisonous (to mammals) berries, like those of the 
Arum and Belladonna, are eaten by certain birds 
without ill effects. 
Several minor genera of British Rose-worts have 
not been mentioned, though they have an interest of 
their own as examples of probable degeneration from 
the typical forms. Among these are the beautiful 
Spireeas, the Lady’s Mantles (Alchemilla), and the 
Burnets (Poterium). Our two native Spireas are 
the well-known Meadow - sweet (Spirwa ulmaria) 
and the Dropwort (8S. filipendula). The first-named 
growing in wet meadows and along the margins of 
