RELATIONS OF PLANTS TO EACH OTHER 203 



many of the mosses have developed the sporophytes 

 with their conspicuous capsules while the soil is still 

 frozen. The closely lying rosettes and evergreen 

 leaves have taken advantage of every sunny day, 

 and the flowering shoots will spring up into the air 

 on the earliest approach of spring. One species, a 

 shrub, the witch-hazel, blooms after its leaves have 

 fallen in October and November, and ripens its seeds 

 the next summer. Make note of the species of 

 all parts of the forest which bloom in the early 

 part of the spring, during a period of a month. 

 Some kinds will be found which form flowers be- 

 fore the leaves are up out of the ground, or are 

 unfolded from the buds. The first period should 

 cover all the time until the leaves of the trees 

 have appeared. 



Make similar note of the species which bloom 

 before the opening of summer, or June 1st. What 

 are the earliest species to mature seeds and drop 

 them to the ground ? Do these seeds germinate at 

 once, or lie dormant until the next year ? 



Keep one or two species under constant observa- 

 tion, and determine the length of time between the 

 beginning of growth and the maturation of the 

 seeds and their germination. 



