PLANTS THAT KEEP AN ARMY 59 
need. If the bird drives off the ravaging insect, 
he later enjoys the luscious fruit and finds a foun- 
dation for his nest on the branches of the tree; if he 
protects the young, unripe seeds of the tree, it in 
turn shelters his young from harm with its grateful 
leaves. If the snake drives off the grub from the 
grasses, he finds seclusion among the roots—and 
how frequently has the club or stone of his pursuer 
been turned aside or caught in the tangled grasses 
sufficiently to give him his chance to escape! 
Truly there is a camaraderie, a spirit of give 
and take, in this condition of apparent servitude of 
one creature or plant to another, which preaches 
its own deep lesson. It has debarred the “labour 
problem” from the realms of Plantdom and Crea- 
turedom. It is a moral concession to the Law of 
Compensation; that is the secret of the plant’s 
standing army! 
