84 THE GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



several of these suckers, the root dies, and the 

 dodder thenceforth derives all its nourishment 

 from the plant to which it has attached itself. 

 As it still further lengthens, it puts forth at 

 intervals globular heads of pinkish or yellowish 

 flowers, which in due time perfect seeds, and 

 being shed upon the earth repeat the same pro- 

 cess. The plant on which it thus preys is com- 

 monly killed through the exhaustion of its juices 

 by the parasite which lives on it, and whole 

 fields of clover have been recently destroyed by 

 the rapid growth and extension of this destruc- 

 tive plant. 



A gigantic species is mentioned as growing 

 in Affghanistan, which even preys upon itself; 

 one of its masses half covered a willow tree, 

 twenty or thirty feet high. The mistletoe 

 (Viscum album) is another parasite, which is 

 well-known in this country. Though now only 

 associated with the festivities of Christmas, it 

 was formerly employed by the Druids in their 

 worship, and esteemed by them a sacred plant. 

 It was gathered with many superstitious cere- 

 monies, and used by them in those awful 

 human sacrifices, which often stained the soil, 

 while our country, unblessed by the light of the 

 glorious gospel, was sunk in the grossest hea- 

 then idolatry, and but too plainly proved the 

 truth of the Scripture declaration, that " the 

 dark places of the earth are full of the habi- 

 tations of cruelty." 



A foreign plant, (Loranthus,) very nearly 

 allied to the mistletoe, is in warm countries a 



