174 THE TREE DOCTOR 



start," and the slower and frailer Pansy has "no show," and suc- 

 cumbs to "the survival of the fittest." Good people, remember 

 that all our cultivated flowers, vegetables, fruits, and many 

 shrubs and trees are the production of years, and some of centu- 

 ries, which have evoluted them, bringing them from the lower to 

 the higher forms of productiveness, both in bloom and fruit. 



Photo 159, A graceful Tree. 



But, almost universally, the improvement of the flower or the 

 fruit is accompanied with a proportionate weakening of the 

 plant. This is illustrated with the Coleus. The larger the leaf 

 and richer the coloring, the weaker the plant ; hence, many of 

 them cannot be used for bedding, because they will not stand the 

 sun. This principle is shown, also, in the improvement of man. 

 Take the college professor and put him out in the wigwam and 

 let him secure his living from roots, nuts. etc. Could he hold 

 his own with the Indian? No, he would perish. Shall we, 

 therefore, go back to the hardier life of the aborigine? Nay, 



