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HOW TO GROW GOOD CLOVER. 



Our next diagram shows the progress of dodder- 

 growth when the parasite has germinated sufficiently- 

 near to a young flax plant to be attracted to it. In 

 such case, instead of dying, it seems all at once to 

 be animated by new vigour. The highly elastic thread, 

 which now represents the whole dodder plant, goes 

 through the following stages : — 



A. The dodder, hav- 

 ing just clasped a flax 

 plant, has made two coils 

 round the stem of the 

 latter. 



B. Meanwhile the flax 

 in growing lifts the dod- 

 der out of the soil. 



C. While the flax is 

 getting still taller, the 

 dodder sends out root- 

 lets, which pierce and 

 fix themselves into the 

 flax. During this the 

 dodder sends out buds 

 upwards, which, elon- 

 gating until new flax 

 plants are met with, ex- 

 plains not only how the 

 dodder commences a 

 growth quite indepen- 

 dent of the soil, but, by 

 spreading, from plant to 

 plant, thus increases to 

 an indefinite extent. 



In this way, then, the dodder of flax, commencing 

 from seeds at different points, spreads in more or 

 less extended patches, which, if such centre be few, 

 will be distinct ; if many, the pest may occupy the 

 greater part of the crop by spreading, and so becoming 

 confluent. 



Such is the method of growth of flax dodder, and 



