THE BROOKLIME AND THE MINT. 



CHAPTERS IN PLANT LIFE 



VI— THE PLANT AND ITS ENEMIES 



By S. LEONARD BASTIN 



With Photographs by the Author 



NATURE is, often enough, careless as 

 to the fate of the individual, 

 provided the perpetuation of the 

 race is well assured. There are few 

 instances in which this is so well seen as 

 in the case of many of our common weeds. 

 A considerable number of these species 

 are peculiarly liable to the attacks of 

 animals from which they seem to be ill- 

 protected, yet these plants are always 

 to be found in the greatest abundance. 

 As a matter of fact, the race persists in 

 flourishing, either by sheer vigour of 

 growth or owing to the ease with which 

 the species can reproduce its kind. The 

 amazing vitality of the grasses is an 

 excellent illustration of those plants which 

 within reasonable limits are almost in- 

 destructible. For ages the grasses have 

 served as the mainstay of the grazing 

 animals, yet there are few more prosperous 

 species. From the underground stems 



which so many of these plants produce, a 

 constant supply of green tufts can be sent 

 up to replace those which have been torn 

 awav. In the case of the Groundsel or 

 Chickweed the continuance of the race is 

 assured by the facility with which the 

 little plant can reproduce its kind. Both 

 these species seem to be harmless and 

 sweet-tasting, such as the larvae of insects, 

 as well as snails and slugs, would delight 

 to feed upon. Yet it is well known that 

 these plants are among the most trouble- 

 some pests of our gardens. This is 

 simply owing to tlie fact that both the 

 Groundsel and the Chickweed come to 

 maturity so quickly, that it is not an 

 uncommon thing for several generations 

 to be brought to perfection in a single 

 season. 



The entire animal kingdom lives at the 

 expense of the vegetable world, and to 

 protect the j^lant against the aggressors 



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