42 
MANUAL OF NATURE STUDY. 
each pupil in this respect, letting him name other 
trees that may have come under his immediate 
notice. 
Wallace says, that in every contest between the 
birch and the beech, the latter has been most suc¬ 
cessful. The former loses its branches at the 
touch of the beech and throws all its strength in 
the top trying to grow higher, but in this it fails 
to get as much light and moisture as the beech, two 
very essential things in the life of a plant.; hence 
the one is driven to the lakes and swamps, while 
the other holds possession of the field. The beech 
can flourish in the shade but the birch cannot, hence 
the advantage of the one over the other. The 
beech will also kill out the fir for the same reason 
as that given for the victory over the birch. But 
the old sturdy oak plants his roots deep in the earth 
and challenges the beech to mortal combat. The 
stubborn beech, so long the victor over all other 
competitors, refuses to yield and withdraw from the 
field, but hurls defiance at the mighty oak. The 
contest is on, the battle is long and hotly contested 
at every point, and at this date, the beech is still 
undaunted and is maintaining his ground with 
remarkable tenacity, while the oak shows signs of 
fatigue and is beginning to weaken. The present 
indications are that the oak, too, will have to seek 
grounds where the shade of the beech is still 
