36 
SEED DISPERSAL. 
And the wind is sure to come along, a slight breeze 
to-day tossing the half-pod a few feet, leaving it perhaps 
to be again and again moved farther forward. The 
writer has seen these half-pods transported by this means 
more than a block. But many of the pods stick to the 
limbs till winter comes. Then a breeze tears off a few 
pods and they fall on the .snow, which has filled up all 
the crevices in the grass and between the dead leaves and 
rubbish. Each half-pod, freighted with every other seed, is 
admirably constructed ; like an ice boat, it has a sail always 
spread to the breeze. In this way there is often nothing 
to hinder some of the seeds from going a mile or two in 
a few minutes, now and then striking some object which 
jars off a seed or two. The seeds are very hard, and no 
doubt purposely so, that they may not be eaten by insects 
or birds; but once in moist soil, the covering slowly 
swells and decays, allowing the young plant to escape. 
Thus the locust seeds are provided with neither legs, 
wings, fins, nor do they advertise by brilliant hue and 
sweet pulp ; but they travel in a way of their own, which 
is literally on the wings of the wind. 
20. Seeds found in melting snowdrifts. — It will interest 
the student of nature to collect a variety of seeds and dry 
fruits, such as can be found still on the trees and other 
plants in winter, and try some of them when there is 
snow on the ground and the wind blows, to see how they 
behave. Again, when the first snow banks of the early 
winter are nearly gone, let him collect and melt a quantity 
