60 THE SUM IMPRESSION 



own unique individuality. Every cavalry officer, 

 every shepherd, every dog-owner, every pigeon- 

 fancier knows that each horse, sheep, dog, pigeon 

 has its own individuality and is distinctly different 

 from all others of its kind. And so does every 

 gardener know that each rose, each tulip, each 

 pansy is different from all other roses, tulips, and 

 pansies. It is the same in the forest. Hardly two 

 trees or plants of the same species develop their 

 young leaves, open their flowers, ripen their seeds, 

 and drop their leaves at the same time. Apart 

 from the size of the flower and leaf there are differ- 

 ences in colour, shape, and marking. Each in 

 appearance and in habit has an individuality of its 

 own. 



Such is the variety in the abundant life of the 

 forest that no two individuals, no two blades of 

 grass, or no two leaves are in every detail precisely 

 alike. And this is the second outstanding impres- 

 sion we receive. 



The abundance and variety of life are evident 

 enough. Not so evident but equally noteworthy is 

 the intensity. In the still forest one of the giant 

 trees looks utterly impassive and immobile. It 

 stands there calm and unmoved. Not a leaf stirs. 

 Yet the whole and every minutest part of it is in- 

 stinct with intensest life. It is made up of count- 

 less microscopic cells in unceasing activity. Highly 

 sensitive and mobile cells form the root-tips and 

 insinuate their way into every crevice in search of 

 food for the tree, rejecting what is unpalatable and 

 forwarding what is useful for building up and sus- 



