THEIR PLACE IN NATURE 15 



ices of the bark, or collectively under logs; or 

 they drop them miles from the parent tree. The 

 nuts sprout, take root, and perhaps mature in a 

 spot where wooded plants never grew before. 



It is not rare to notice an old disused field, for- 

 saken by the farmer because of its barrenness, 

 covered with a scattering of young oaks, hick- 

 ories, sycamores, and the like. Each year adds 

 to its new flora. Field-mice and other small 

 rodents are responsible for some of this, and the 

 wind has played its part ; but birds have been the 

 chief conductors. To them are due the black- 

 berries, the strawberries, and the trailing dew- 

 berries. The wind brought the sycamores, the 

 willows, and the maples, but the acorns of the 

 oaks were transported by the birds. 



Although, as has been stated, a certain number 

 of seeds are expelled from the mouth, the gener- 

 ality pass through the intestines before evac- 

 uation. Seeds may thus be distributed abroad 

 as the bird flies, or when it perches. The pres- 

 ence of a large number of hedge-rows is due to 

 the latter event. The American farmer does not 

 make a common practice of planting hedges be- 

 tween fields. He is constrained to erect a 

 fence, post and rail, stone, or wire, as he sees 

 fit or the resources of the locality allow. His 

 live stock have to be kept within bounds ; a hedge 

 is ineffective for this purpose. 



Unless, however, the farmer maintains a con- 



