VICES OF PLANTS 
F criminologists would make an exhaustive study 
of plant life, they would find the sources from 
which many roots of evil spring. The human so- 
cial fabric has a close analogy to the floral world, 
and much becomes clear when viewed in rudimentary forms. 
I do not know which way to refer the resemblance—that 
plants are so human in their character and expression, or 
human beings so plant-like. Perhaps the latter is the more 
logical to students of evolution. Plants have simple, ele- 
mental vices. They show rapacity, improvidence, caprice, 
selfishness, sloth, arrogant self-seeking and profligacy. It 
has been reserved for the human race to develop the meaner, 
petty vices—jealousy, anger, slander, envy, pride and ingrati- 
tude: of these an honest self-respecting plant is incapable. 
For example, predatory wealth finds an equivalent in rapa- 
cious plants that make not only a vigorous central growth, but 
reach out on every side to establish branch offices where they 
install children and grandchildren with incredible speed; who 
absorb all the nutriment within many feet, and try to choke 
out those who dispute their territory. The progenitors of 
rascally railroad presidents, sinecure officials, commercial 
monopolists are descendants of the original sinners in the gar- 
den of Eden, the Michaelmas daisy, Achillea, perennial as- 
ters, garden heliotrope, Helianthus letifolius, Virginia creeper, 
Calystegia, bouncing Bet and hawkbit. Let but a single 
one of these prototypes of greedy financiers get a firm hold 
in your garden, and certain notorious oil monopolies are con- 
107 
