40 SAGACITY AND MORALITY OF PLANTS. 



lating action of the chlorophyll in leaves. Hence 

 the leaves of the herbaceous plants in our woods 

 and forests are often much divided, as in many 

 species of Umbelliferse, Ferns, etc. ; or else plants 

 growing under such circumstances have to be humble- 

 minded, put forth few leaves, and be content with a 

 little. In the vegetable kingdom, therefore, Lazarus 

 can only exist by the crumbs which fall from the 

 rich man's table ! 



Grim vengeance, however, is often taken. Under- 

 neath every Oak, Beech, and Elm, where the abound- 

 ing foliage of the individual tree prevents herbaceous 

 growth, the progeny of the same tree are sprouting, 

 trying to grow, hustling and jostling each other, 

 dying year after year ; for only one plant can 

 eventually take the place of the parent -tree, even 

 after waiting perhaps half a thousand of years ! 



The Pines — oldest, doubtless, of all exogenous 

 woody trees — are more tyrannous still. Their 

 needle-shaped leaves, abounding in silica, fall to 

 the ground, and mat it so that scarcely a Lichen 

 or Moss can find sufficient foothold for its abiding- 

 place. No other plants so effectively carry out this 

 dog-in-the-manger policy. 



Yet in long -cultivated England we practically 

 know comparatively nothing of the greediness of the 

 vegetable kingdom. It is seen in its intensest form 

 in tropical regions, where the stimulating action of 

 the solar light and heat (assisted by an abundant 



