VIII 



PLANTS THAT ARE ATHLETES 



Plants that roll and tumble; Plants that dress to travel; 

 Plants that hop; Plant high- jumpers; Plants that tie 

 sailor's knots; Plants that shoot; Plant aviators; Plants 

 that canoe; Plants that swim; Plants that dive; Plants 

 that drive hydroplanes; Plants that skate; Plants that 

 travel in ice-boats; Plants that dance; Plants that climb. 



PLANTS have as many kinds and forms of 

 athletics and become quite as skilled in them 

 as do human athletes. They are by no means 

 freshmen or amateurs trying to "make the team'/ 

 but they have spent many generations in preparing 

 for the feats which they so skilfully perform in 

 their own peculiar way. Like a sprinter, or a tum- 

 bler, a swimmer, diver, dancer, skater, ball-player, 

 or archer each has to work continually to keep 

 in good condition. Think of a prize-fighter or a 

 wrestler who would not practice! Defeat would 

 surely be his end. And the same is true of plant 

 athletes. 



But with the plant, athletics win not popular ap- 

 plause nor money, but life or death. If they lose 

 72 



