562 THE UNIVERSE. 



port unknown to him seeds and plants which invade new 

 countries. 



In this way, through the importation of American 

 sheep into France, certain seeds attached to them have 

 become localized in France. In one locality in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Montpellier, where a large quantity of wool 

 is received from Buenos-Ayres and Mexico, several species 

 of plants, derived from the flora of these two countries, 

 are now seen growing on every side. The botanists of 

 the celebi^ated school of Montpellier — the DecandoUes, 

 the Uelilles, and the Dunalds — were perfectly aware of 

 the fact, and from time to time made their way to this 

 spot in order to botanize amid the products of the tropics 

 without fatigue and without peril. 



At other times, in order to satisfy the requirements 

 of commerce or his own pleasure, man extirpates certain 

 species from their native country in order to enrich distant 

 lands with them. In short, it is sometimes to the armies 

 of conquerors that we owe certain exotic plants. 



Yet there arc countries which are sometimes invaded 

 by a vegetation neither the arrival nor the vigour of which 

 can be explained. It grows in its new country with such 

 energy, that it stifles everything that previously grew in 

 the spots Avhere it fixes itself Thus a large everlasting, 

 the HelirJirysum fetidum, transplanted from America to 

 France, has become a despotic ruler in many of the 

 southern shores of that coimtry. 



In opposition to this, the common artichoke has exiled 

 itself from France in order to establish itself victoriously 



their use from the excrement of the animal. The American grape {Phytolacca 

 dccandra, L.) was introduced into the neighbourhood of Bordeaux in order that 

 it might be used for colouring wine, and it is from thence the birds have spread 

 it so widely. The so-called sparrow which in Ceylon sows the camelias in every 

 direction is the Tui'dus zeilanicus. — K. MUller, b. i. s. 91, 92. 



