198 NATURAL HISTORY OP THE FARM 



Yet some survive. Each wild species holds its own. In 

 the nice balance of nature, enough are produced so that, after 

 all the losses from casualties and enemies, a few will still be 

 living on. A few will have found the chance places of security 

 and of opportunity and will be carrying the race forward. 

 It is nature's method wasteful of individuals but careful of 

 the species. It necessitates that she should keep her nursery 

 full. 



In nature's nursery the number of individuals of any tree 

 diminishes very rapidly as their size increases. It is only 



FIG. 79. An uprooted branch of cockle-mint ; a, the old 

 dead flowering stem; b, b, two new shoots, ready for 

 the coming season ; c, c, buds that will produce shoots 

 for the year thereafter. 



little seedlings that ordinarily are abundant ; often, as in the 

 case of the ninebark, just described, they are nearly all too 

 small for landscape use; and those of "planting size" are apt 

 to be deformed by growth in cramped quarters. But if only 

 the severity of the struggle for existence be relieved a bit as 

 by transplanting these little things into good soil where they 

 may have plenty of room and light fine symmetrical bushes 

 may be had in a season or two. It requires only a little fore- 

 thought; it produces the finest plants, and yields, besides, 

 the satisfaction of seeing things develop. 



