10 FLOWERLESS PLANTS 



the atmosphere. Thus the farmer can improve 

 the quahty of his land by gro%\'ing leguminous 

 plants of one kind or another. As well, it is 

 a species of bacteria which induces the fer- 

 mentation in yeast — so important a matter in 

 the making of our dailj' bread. In a general 

 way it is an undoubted fact that different 

 kinds of bacteria play a big part in aiding the 

 decomposition of decaying matter, so that it 

 ultimately assumes the form of pure and 

 wholesome elements. 



Of the remaining group of organisms it is 

 still a doubtful point as to whether these should 

 be spoken of as plants or animals. During 

 spells of damp weather it is not an uncommon 

 occurrence to see a shmy mass of matter of a 

 yellowish colour spreading over dead wood. 

 This is one of the Myxomycetes, a representative 

 of a very singular group. Various points in the 

 life history of these organisms lead men of 

 science to think that they stand right on the 

 borderland between the animal and the vege- 

 table kingdoms. 



There is httle doubt that the world owes an 

 immense debt of gratitude to the flowerless 

 plants. We do not know the way in which 



