/j.2 The Great World's Farm 



knows to his sorrow; and then there are the bindweeds, 

 most appropriately so named, for they send out long, 

 trailing runners above ground, having roots at each joint, 

 which make them extremely difficult to get rid of when 

 once they have established themselves in a garden. Their 

 tropical relatives, the ipoma^as — plants of much larger 

 growth, but bearing similar convolvulus-blossoms of more 

 brilliant color — are among the plants which render most 

 useful service in the Bermudas by stopping the fine white 

 coral-sand of the coast from invading and burying the 

 neighboring gardens. 



When the sand has been consolidated and improved by 

 the growth and decay of these and similar plants, there 

 follow shrubs and small trees, such as do not object to the 

 saltness of the soil; and finally, when the way has been 

 carefully prepared, the once barren sand-banks are covered 

 with groves of coco-palms. It is a fact never to be lost 

 sight of, that here, as so frequently elsewhere, the first 

 all-important work is done by comparatively feeble instru- 

 ments; the dust-like lichen prepares the way for the pine, 

 and the insignificant salt-worts, and weak-stemmed, creep- 

 ing bindweeds make ready for the palm. 



The mangrove, like the coco-palm, thrives in salt water, 

 but is unlike it in being able to grow without any prepa- 

 ration, and itself does much to consofidate the mud in 

 which it grows. It is found on many tropical coasts, 

 growing between high and low water mark, and in river 

 estuaries washed by the sea during one part of the day, 

 and left exposed during another. From its branches it 

 sends down long roots which, on reaching the mud, fix 

 themselves firmly in it, and become independent trees; 

 and the seed, which begins to germinate and grow while 



