PLANTS THAT KEEP AN ARMY 59 



need. If the bird drives off the ravaging insect, 

 he later enjoys the luscious fruit and finds a foun- 

 dation for his nest on the branches of the tree ; if he 

 protects the young, unripe seeds of the tree, it in 

 turn shelters his young from harm with its grateful 

 leaves. If the snake drives off the grub from the 

 grasses, he finds seclusion among the roots and 

 how frequently has the club or stone of his pursuer 

 been turned aside or caught in the tangled grasses 

 sufficiently to give him his chance to escape! 



Truly there is a camaraderie, a spirit of give 

 and take, in this condition of apparent servitude of 

 one creature or plant to another, which preaches 

 its own deep lesson. It has debarred the "labour 

 problem" from the realms of Plantdom and Crea- 

 turedom. It is a moral concession to the Law of 

 Compensation; that is the secret of the plant's 

 standing army! 



