78 Field, Forest, and Wayside Flowers 
But in all our native species, except the white 
ash, the future of the race depends upon the mu- 
tual helpfulness of the present generation. The 
stamen-bearing trees, which yield no seed, exist 
entirely for the benefit of the family. And the 
pistil-bearing trees, which are the hope of the 
race, cannot accomplish their task without help 
from their neighbors. The trees are learning co- 
operation, just as individuals do in a _ society 
which is emerging from savagery toward civiliza- 
tion. 
The horse-chestnut blossoms also  codéperate. 
The pyramidal bunch of bloom is not a crowd of 
individuals each self-contained and_ self-sufficient. 
It is more like the ant and bee communities, in 
which each individual has duties to be performed 
for the good of all. 
Most of the white blossoms, flecked with rose 
or gold, have no individual future. Their pros- 
pects are sunk for the public good. They have 
no pistils and will ripen no seed. 
Their prettiness is merely a lure to attract 
some flying insect to the spire of bloom. She 
will carry away their pollen, for which they can 
receive no return in kind, as they have no stig- 
mas and can set no seed. And having been en- 
