948 BATTLES OF PLANTS IN THE WORLD 
defending and holding their ground. The water plantain 
likes to grow in soil covered with water on the borders 
of lakes and ponds, where the water is not too deep. 
The reed-mace prefers a little less depth of water, and 
contends for the ground nearer the shore, where the 

Fig. 300. Plants drawn in battle array on shore line of lake. 
water is very shallow. The butterbur and kingeups 
like very moist soil near the water. 
In this picture (Fig. 300) you see such a contest cong 
on, and the lines of battle sharply drawn. Near this 
place you could see an army of rushes occupying the 
same kind of territory that the plantain occupies here, 
because the same conditions were congenial to it and 
the rush drove the plantain out. So, on such disputed 
grounds struggles for possession 20 on between the 
kinds of plants which like that territory, and the 
weaker ones are often crowded out of existence. 
