THE INANIMATE ENEMIES OF THE FOREST. 61 



VI. THE INANIMATE ENEMIES OF 

 THE FOREST. 



LIKE other forms of animate nature, the forest 

 is compelled to make a continual struggle for ex- 

 istence. In order that it may continue to exist, 

 the conditions requisite for its growth must be 

 maintained, and the influences that oppose such 

 growth must be held in check. 



The character of the vegetation that covers any 

 region of the earth is dependent not only on the 

 character of its soil, but also on the peculiarities 

 of its climate ; such, for example, as the distribu- 

 tion of the temperature throughout the year, the 

 distribution of the moisture, etc. 



There is in the vegetable as in the animal world 

 a veritable struggle for existence. Given a partic- 

 ular character of soil and climate in any locality, 

 the plants that will continue to grow in such 

 locality will be those that are best fitted to exist 

 there naturally. 



At first all forms may appear ; but some partic- 

 ular form may be so much better suited to the 



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