THE END OF THE STRUGGLE. 63 



very numerous competitors they have shown themselves 

 to be the best adapted to their surroundings. (See fig. 

 61 and PI. XXXI.) 



Natural selection has made it clear that these are the 

 best trees for the place. These are also the trees which 

 bear the seed whence the younger generations spring. 

 Their oft'spring will inherit their fitness to a greater or 

 less degree, and in their turn will be subjected to the 



FIG. 61. An open forest of intolerant Longleaf Pine. Southern Florida. 



same rigorous test, by which only the best are allowed 

 to reach maturity. Under this sifting out of the weak 

 and the unfit, our native trees have been prepared, 

 through thousands of generations, to meet the condi- 

 tions under which they must live. This is why they 

 are so much more apt to succeed than species from 

 abroad, which have not been fitted for our climate and 

 soil by natural selection. 



