74 The Nature-Study Idea 



one for the dripping rock-cliff delicate blue- 

 bells and hanging ferns and grasses. These 

 categories may be indefinitely extended. We 

 all know the plant societies, but we have not 

 thought of them. 



In every plant society there is one dominant 

 note: it is the individuality of one kind of plant 

 that grows most abundantly or overtops the 

 others. Certain plant-forms come to mind 

 when one thinks of willows, others when he 

 thinks of an apple orchard, still others when he 

 thinks of a beech forest. The farmer may 

 associate "pussly" with cabbages and beets, 

 but not with wheat and oats. He associates 

 cockle with wheat, but not with oats or corn. 

 We all associate dandelions with grassy areas, 

 but not with burdocks or forests. 



It is impossible to open one's eyes out-of- 

 doors outside the paved streets of cities without 

 seeing a plant society. A lawn is a plant 

 society. It may contain only grass, or it may 

 contain weeds hidden away in the sward. 

 What weeds remain in the lawn? Only those 

 that can withstand the mowing. What are 



