RIVALRY OF PLANTS 159 



locusts, and deer in their apparent destructive- 

 ness, have all served to aid the onward march. 



We should see all the while a steady change 

 for the better — sturdier pear trees, brighter blos- 

 soms, more seed, better fruit. 



We should see that, with the aid of the ele- 

 ments, the pear tree adapted itself to exist, hard- 

 ened itself to withstand many soils and many 

 weathers. 



We should see that, with the unintended aid of 

 its plant and animal enemies, it gained strength 

 through overcoming them. 



We should see that, through the bees, it was 

 helped into variation by combining heredities; 

 and by the birds and animals it was helped into 

 still further variation by wider distribution of its 

 seeds. 



Then, overshadowing all of these influences 

 there came into its life new influences of man — 

 man savage and civilized. Oriental and Occi- 

 dental — man with a liking for pears. 



In Europe and here in America, we who have 

 grown pears have cultivated the trees which bore 

 the largest, tenderest and most delicious pears — 

 because those were the ones we liked best. 



When we have bought pear trees to plant in 

 our orchards and gardens, we have chosen those 

 which would give us the kind of fruit we prefer. 



