866 



THE NATURE BOOK 



the winter arrives. There is httle doubt 

 that the earth-worms take on a large 

 share of the work. During the moist 

 autumn weather these creatures work 

 comparatively near to the surface, and 

 their countless upheavals of soil go a 

 long way towards covering in the seeds. 

 Seed vessels with long appendages, such 

 as those of the Sycamore and Lime, may 

 often be seen pulled down into the soil, 

 having been treated in much the same 

 wav that the worms deal with leaves. 

 Acorns, beech-masts and other edible seeds 

 are stored away in holes in large quantities 

 by small animals, such as squirrels and 

 domiice, which inhabit our woods. The 

 majority of them are forgotten altogether 

 by the little creatures, and many a tree 

 must owe its start in life to the efforts of 

 these tiny gardeners. In addition to the 

 work of these animal agents, the heavy 

 rains of autumn must wash many of the 

 smaller seeds into the soil, whilst the 

 shower of drifting leaves will cover up 

 even a larger number still. 



WTiat an alteration is brought about 

 in the condition of the seed by the coming 



of the spring ! With the increasing powers 

 of the sun the cold earth becomes warmer 

 every day, and this rise in temperature 

 is the signal for which the seeds have 

 boen waiting. The gentle showers of 

 spring water the earth, and the moisture 

 soaking inwards through the husks of 

 the seeds, stirs the living matter to activity. 

 As we shall see elsewhere, the store of 

 food materials is at this time converted 

 into a form available for the immediate 

 use of the httle plant-to-be. It is interest- 

 ing to see how cautiously the plantlet 

 puts in an appearance at first. The small 

 stem arches its way through the ground, 

 and the tender leaves hang down, until 

 they are more developed. During the 

 spring weather, which is usually of a 

 fickle character, we may feel certain 

 that the drooping, huddled bearing of the 

 seecUing's initial leaves affords a real 

 protection against cold. 



In defiance of weather conditions a 

 few plants have elected to come to per- 

 fection right in the middle of the winter 

 season. Of these the Christmas Rose 

 {Helleborns niger) is perhaps one of the 



WINTER • ALL THE PLANTS DISAFPEAK BELOW THE WATER. 



