VI 

 THE PLANT AND ITS ENEMIES 



NATURE is, often enough, careless as to the fate 

 of the individual, provided the perpetuation of 

 the race is well assured. There are few instances 

 in which this is so well seen as in the case of 

 many of our common weeds. A considerable 

 number of these species are peculiarly liable to 

 the attacks of animals from which they seem to 

 be ill-protected, yet these plants are always to 

 be found in the greatest abundance. As a matter 

 of fact, the race persists in flourishing, either by 

 sheer vigour of growth or owing to the ease with 

 which the species can reproduce its kind. The 

 amazing vitality of the grasses is an excellent 

 illustration of those plants which within reason- 

 able limits are almost indestructible. For ages 

 the grasses have served as the mainstay of the 

 grazing animals, yet there are few more prosper- 

 ous species. From the underground stems which 

 so many of these plants produce, a constant supply 



85 



