Chances of Life 293 



either be scalded, or scorched, or very hard frozen 

 before they can sprout at all, and even then they 

 cannot prosper unless they have a clear field, with no 

 other plants to interfere with them. This is the case 

 with the seeds of the black locust-tree, which are easily 

 carried by the wind, and are so very hard that they 

 may lie exposed for years without being any the worse 

 for it, it is true, but also without being able to ger- 

 minate. If they were less long-lived, they would 

 probably die before their opportunity came. But if, 

 when a clearing is made in the forest, the trees should 

 be fired and the ground burnt bare, as it is sometimes, 

 then comes their long-waited-for opportunity, and up 

 they spring in numbers wherever the fire has passed. 



The same thing is true in some degree of the Tas- 

 manian * fire-weed,' a thick crop of which springs up 

 like magic wherever even a camp-fire is made, but 

 never except where fire has passed over the ground. 

 The plant, which is nearly related to the groundsel and 

 cineraria, has downy seeds, which would not, of course, 

 stand the fire ; but the wind is constantly carrying 

 them to and fro, and wherever there is a spot properly 

 prepared for them they take immediate advantage of 

 it. Numbers must perish while they are waiting for an 

 opportunity which never comes ; but still there are 

 always enough left to take possession of any bare, 

 burnt space. 



The seeds of a certain species of cedar could not be 

 got to grow at all at the Cape until they had been 

 thoroughly I oiled. Such very hard-coated seeds are 

 well protected against injury, but in a state of nature 

 they must be dependent upon fires, frost, or perhaps 

 on being swallowed, for the opportunity of growing. 



