A RE CORD IN NA TU RE-STUD Y 83 



nature promises; the lower one shows how she performs — at least how she 

 did in 1901. During the growing season, the months are marked by important 

 events — as, for example, germination of seeds, opening of buds, flowering, 

 insect-development, ripening of fruit. The variation in the rainfall from the 

 average, as told by the jars, shows how the plant and animal world, ourselves 

 included, is subjected to great strains. It gives a striking meaning to the 

 phrase " struggle for existence." 



In the upper right-hand corner the story of the seedlings for these months 

 is told by some plants selected from the garden. At the upper side a series of 

 paintings shows the chapters of the dandelion's history, which represents a 

 large number of plants that spring from roots which have survived the winter. 

 At the bottom, the unfolding of the buds, the story of how the plant makes 

 friends with the sunshine during these months, is told in a similar way. On 

 the right, a few of the birds and the opossum give something of complete- 

 ness to the season's pictures. 



Associated with the observ^ations of the development of plant life are 

 records of the temperature, not only of the air, but also of the soil at differ- 

 ent depths and of the water in the ponds. By these means the really complex 

 nature of the environment of the living thing comes to be better understood, 

 and the sensitiveness and plastic character of the organism grow to be more 

 thoroughly appreciated. 



