THE WAY OF A SEED 33 



seed-leaves which bestow their riches on the soil. In 

 nature nothing lives only for itself. You cannot regard a 

 tree as a separate being, and say of it that its seed is wasted 

 because the tree sucks no advantage. Half the seeds that 



'SQUIRRELS CUT OPEN THE FIR CONES' 



fall are no more wasted than the corn seeds are wasted 

 which go to make our bread. 



It seems to be a part of the policy of nature to make 

 many seeds which play the double part. They are attached 

 to a pulp which feeds the bird ; and the bird later sows the 

 undigested seed which it swallows. In our larger fruits in 

 plums and pears and apples and cherries the seed is doubly 

 or trebly provided. Every precaution is taken and attrac- 

 tion provided. The outside is comely and often sweet- 

 smelling. The very flower of the apple is not more odorous 

 and hardly more beautiful than the fruit. Outside it is 

 covered with a close skin that protects the flesh till the 

 chemical processes are complete, till the acid harshness is 

 converted into sugar and attractive salts, till the seeds within 



