54 DODDER. 



perfection on apple-trees. Nobody has ever yet 

 succeeded in making it take root in the earth, but 

 if the berries, when fully ripe, are pressed and 

 rubbed on the smooth bark of almost any tree, they 

 adhere closely, and will produce plants the follow- 

 ing winter. 



Parasitical plants have been lately discovered, 

 that grow upon others which are themselves para- 

 sites ; but these are very rare. 



There are parasites of another kind, less pro- 

 perly called so, which first take root in the ground, 

 and afterwards fasten themselves to trees, or other 

 substances within their reach, where they strike 

 out roots from their own stems. 



EDWARD. 



Then Ivy, I suppose, is a parasitical plant? 



MOTHER. 



Yes, it is one of those I have just mentioned ; 

 and you shall hear more about it, when we come 

 to the fifth class to which it belongs. But some 

 of the most remarkable native parasites belong to 

 the genus Cuscu'ta, or Dodder, in the second order 

 of the fourth class : they have no leaves, but only a 

 slender stalk, with which they lay hold very closely 

 of some other plant stronger than themselves, from 

 whence they draw all their nourishment. There 

 are two native species C. Europe'a and C. Epi'- 



