The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-10
Dissemination Of Seeds.

Mr.. Waldo F. Brown, who has made
the various ways in which the seeds OF
different plants are distributed subject
of study, cites, in the National Stock
man, several examples which NAV help
10 draw attention to the interest of the
matter:
First comes the very large class
which are provided with down which
carries the seed, like the dandelion,
garden lettuce. the thistle, the IRON
weed, tho sycamore tree. and host of
others belonging to this class. The
maple and some other tree seeds have
another way of travelling on the wind.
They are provided with wings which
are almost rs perfect as those of bee,
and BY this means are carried to great
distance when high wind blows.
Some of them have one long and one
short wing. which gives them rotary
motion. Still another class of seeds
are contained in round balls, which the
wind rolls along. scattering the seed as
they 90. One of the best examples of
this is the common white clover. As
ths head ripenS part of the fowerets
turn down, so that it Is almost as round
as a marble. and when ripe the stem
breaks off close up to the head and the
wind rolls it along until it meets with
some obstruction.
- 1t is wonderful to notice how many
ways there are in which animals disperse
seeds. First of all come those plants
which are SO valuable to the animal
man that he sows The seeds of them.
Then the nuts and fruits are scattered
by birds and squirrels. Many seeds
are SO protected that they may be
eaten, and will pass through the
stomach and bowels without damage,
and will grow in the weddings. BY far
The larger class Of animla-disperSed
seeds are carried br h,oks or thorns
b. which they attach themselves, and
1 wish readers to examine some of the
plants which [ name: the burd ock,
Spanish needle, ccckle bur, and the
different varieties of beggar's lice. are
all 'stick-tights and Yet all attach
themselves differently. and most OF
them 50 securely that they may be car
lied for months before they lose their
hold.
'Cne OF the most curious of the ami
mal-dispersed plants is the martynia.
The seed pod is about four inches long.
about an in h and half in diameter
and runs out to sharp point. As the
pod rlpenS it splits in the middle, and
one OF the points curls each way and
downward. and when hardened the
seed pod is provided with two hooks so
sharp that they will attach themselves
TO bootleg. The seeds are held in
layers by paper-like substance, so
I. at all 60 rot scatter at once. and so
tered ali over . farm. The seli-diSperSed
seeds are those which have the power of
throwing their seeds TO quite distance
by the bursting of the pod. The best
examples OF this class with which am
acquainted are the balsam. pansy,
pholx-Drummondi and euphorbias. ANY
of these viii eNpei their seeds with such
force Is to throw them several .eet.
among the water-d.sper>ed plants
we shall find great variety. and many
which are carried by wind and then by
water. OF like the sycamore NAV first
be carried by water and then by wind.
for this tree Us ally grows along the
borders OF streams and the batlS are
fioaled down the cGrrel-aud are lodged
and become dry, and when they finally
come To pieces are provided with a
down. which carries the seed. The
grasses. clover and many wee.ls are
Loatei away whenever 4 heavy rain
falls. and nag finally lodge AMI grow
hundreds CT miles rom the -spo: where
they ripened. The wonderful vitality
OF seeds-Under circumstances which If
would seem would either cause theri 90
grow or TO rot-is worthy of notice 4
part of the seeds of plants will grow the
first year. Others not Til the second,
third or eyen ioag period after.
In proof of tins l p anted I single
hill OF martynia il my garden and al
lowed it to ripen its seed, and for e'ght
years after it proved troublesome
xeed-although [ never allowed = plant
10 stand until it blossomed. 1t is won
derful how provision IS made for the
protection of young plants and how
wisely seeds are soWn. For example,
the blackberry and raspberry come no
very small aud delicate and can not en-
dure the sun. But the BIRDS drop the
seeds along the hedges and they find q
mellow soil well shaded in which to
germina:e. aud gain a foothold until
they can endure sun and fiost. The
more closely we study tie habits of
plants the greater viii De our admira-
ton of tie infinite sdom which has
provided for the reproduction Of eysD
the wesds.'