May, 1933 The Queensland Naturalist 6 ^ 
not yield to digestion, and it becomes scattered far and 
wide. 
The lierbiverous animals must also do a share. They 
can roam about and many seeds cling to the feet and hairs 
of the animals, and are by this means carried to new 
ground and distributed. The seeds of noxious weeds are 
as a rule gifted specially for such distribution. Then also 
the animals trample many seeds into the ground, where 
they can germinate and have a better chance of living than 
the seed that lays on the top of the ground uncovered. 
We saw that it is man’s duty to be constructive and 
assist the plant kingdom in every possible way, to regard 
its existence and welfare as much, if not more, than his 
own, and not wantonly destroy any plants, herbs, grasses, 
flowers or trees. Collectively they are all required, as a 
completeness of creation, to make our existence not only 
tolerable but even possible and pleasurable. 
It would indeed be hard to estimate the value man- 
kind is receiving from the plant kingdom. The herbs, the 
cereals and the fruits to feed him, the flowers in the garden 
and field are his delight, the trees give him shelter from 
the wind and protection from the sun, and the timbers he 
can use in many ways for home comfort. What a blessing 
it is to live in a country with an abundance of timber as 
compared with a land which has a scanty supply, or no 
timber at all. 
To live in harmony with nature man must not try to 
reap a crop he has not sown. If he does so he is destruc- 
tive. Nature’s ways are constructive, and it is man’s duty 
to replant our forests and to take care of them in return 
out of gratitude for all the benefit he receives. As another 
example, we have the animals. If we observe how their 
bodies are built and the use they make of their organs, we 
come to the conclusion that the animals are in complete 
harmony in operation and customary with the surround- 
ings. They are fitted to -withstand heat and cold, dry con- 
ditions and wet conditions, able to move on the land, in 
the water or in the air. according to their special organs. 
They are able to hunt and find the right sort of food, and 
can either escape their enemies or overcome them. 
All life, plant and aniaml, including micro-organisms 
and vitamines, is dependent on a temperature of from 
zero to 100 degrees Centigrade, or in other words, when 
the water is in a liquid state. Life must die if the tem- 
perature falls below zero, or rises to and above boiling 
point. This is a very important factor -which the intelli- 
gent human being often disregards and even abuses in the 
preparation of his foods. We will not conclude that the 
* element of fire is not required, unwanted and destructive. 
