36 THE HUMAN SIDE OF PLANTS 



Thus it is evident that plants are not helpless 

 victims of circumstance, depending on the charities 

 and wishes of every other creature, but are of 

 themselves thoroughly awake to their importance 

 in the world. Each plant is quite prepared to hold 

 its own against its enemies, to procure the means of 

 its livelihood, to recognise its friends, distrust its 

 foes, to grow, develop, multiply, build up families 

 and enjoy its living, to seize its opportunities, and 

 to create new ones truly in all ways to progress 

 as man has done. 



With humans the art of self-defence has been 

 developed to a science. For every danger and 

 hardship an adequate means of contention has been 

 devised. Such also is the case with plants. Some- 

 times, like soldiers, banding together for pur- 

 poses of concerted resistance, sometimes fighting 

 alone, they wield against each enemy the weapon 

 which is most effective; for the plants' weapons 

 are quite as numerous as their enemies. Thorns, 

 prickles, poisons, sticky excretions, odours, sting- 

 ing hairs, and many others are the defensive 

 weapons used. 



Perhaps the common hawthorn is one of the best 

 examples of the self-reliance and independence of 

 plants. Through ages of experience this plant 

 has learned to resist the attacks of all destructive 



