840 



THE NATURE BOOK 



with these trees. A considerable num- 

 ber of the seeds, it is true, are de- 

 stroyed by the wild animals and birds 

 of the forest, but after all only a 

 small number are accounted lor in this 

 way. Probably the majority of the seeds 

 germinate, and even grow into httle 

 plants during the first few weeks of mild 



rank-growing weeds which will not put 

 in an appearance until the early summer. 

 But as the last of the pale yellow flowers 

 dies, the plant enters a critical period of 

 its hfe ; it is in grave danger of being 

 smothered out of existence. At this 

 time, however, a very marked change 

 comes over the bearing of the foliage ; 



THE BRAMBLE IS ALWAYS ABLE TO CHANGE ITS SHOOTS INTO ROOTS 

 SHOULD A FAVOURABLE POSITION PRESENT ITSELF. 



spring weather, before the forest is clad 

 with its summer foliage. But it is only 

 a very few which get beyond the start, 

 for under the dense shade thrown by the 

 clustering leaves above no development is 

 possible ; and more often than not it 

 is the spreading branches of the parent 

 tree which bring about the destruction 

 of the lattcr's own offspring. 



Many plants which flower in the late 

 spring might easily be smothered out of 

 existence, had they not been enabled to 

 make special provision against such a 

 contingency. With the arrival of the 

 really waiTn weather the countless seeds 

 wliich have been lying donnant all the 

 winter start to germinate. In this con- 

 ne* tion a curious phase in the life of the 

 Primrose is the habit of " flopping " its 

 foliage after blooming time. As one of 

 tlie earliest of our spring flowering species, 

 the Primrose has a good start over the 



the leaves lose their more or less erect 

 habit and " flop " over on to the ground, 

 encirchng the crown of the plant. In 

 this way, the menacing army of seedlings 

 which will come with the end of May 

 are prevented from making any headway 

 in close proximity to the plant. If it 

 were not for this provision there can be 

 little doubt that the Primrose would be 

 almost choked by the rank-growing weeds 

 which are on every side. Many of the 

 late spring blooming varieties of the 

 smaller Hyacinths send out a profusion of 

 drooping leaves just at flowering time. 

 These will make it quite certain that the 

 plants will not be trt)ubled by any near 

 neighbour. 



In the case of a large number of common 

 weeds the habit of growth, which has been 

 referred to as " starring," is a very pro- 

 nounced feature. As is well known, the 

 matter of leaf arrangement in the plant 



