88 HOLLY AND MISTLETOE. 



them clinging to the customary rubbing-places, in 

 the forks of trees. An experienced observer has 

 watched them performing this involuntary opera- 

 tion of seed-sowing many times over in a single 

 orchard, and has afterwards noticed the gummy 

 seeds sticking to the crannies of the bark where 

 the birds have deposited them. In fact, the 

 viscid character of the fruit has been acquired for 

 this precise purpose, to enable the seeds to gain a 

 firm footing in the place where they are by nature 

 fitted to root themselves and thrive exceedingly. 

 The young plant, having thus been started in life 

 under favorable auspices, soon begins to attach 

 itself by a thickened bulb at its base to the living 

 tissues of the unfortunate apple-tree, and to suck 

 from its veins the sap or life-blood which the 

 apple had already elaborated for the use and 

 growth of its own fruiting branches. Sending 

 forth yellowish green succulent sprouts, with 

 oddly arranged pairs of opposite leaves, this vege- 

 table robber soon begins to flower, the little 

 inconspicuous blossoms appearing in the spring of 

 its second year, though they are so unnoticeable 

 that few save close observers, in all probability 

 ever detect them. The flowers are of two kinds 

 — one barren, collected together in little bunches 

 in the forks of the stem, the other fertile and soli- 

 tary, growing out at last into the little transpar- 

 ent jelly-like berries. Each berry contains a 



