The Van Buren press., 1895-04-27
TRAVELS OF SEEDS.
Natures Varied Devices for Scattering
fhSh Far and wide.

for the perpetuation of living organ
isms. She is prodigal, even apparently
wasteful, in her efforts to attain this
end. Every plant throws out yearly
its myriads Of seeds, and no small part
of the machinery adapted to make this
product fulfill its mission is that d.
rected to the distribution of these
seeds. So effective is this machinery
that plants spread in few years over
wide regions-witness the incursions of
weeds like the so-cal1ed Russian this.
tie, against which the efforts OF the
farmer seem almost ritiavailing. The
iiiSahs by which this rapid spreading
ID brought about are the subject of an
article by Prof. F. Muller, In "Der
Stein der Weisen," Vienna, OF which
we translate the most interesting por-
tions;
"Who has sent them (the plants) as
colonists into this new, unpeopled
land? Whence have they come, and by
what way? If we call the roll of the
army of colonists that we may get an
answer to this question, we shall find
especially plants whose seeds can navi-
gate the air like miniature flying-ma-
chimes, often for long distances. All
these belong to the widely-distributed
aster family (Compositae, or to the
nearly related teazel family Dipsa-
ceae). Their seeds are furnished, to
fit them for their long sails through
the airy sea, with sort of parachute
of soft, feathery fibers. The lightest
breeze raises them and bears them in
graceful sweep over field and meadow,
but the storm-wind lifts them TO the
region of the clouds SO that they fly
with the eagle over hill and dale to far
and foreign lands. Millions, to be
sure, fall to the ground without reach
ing the sought-for soil, but other mill
ions fulfill the end of their existence,
the perpetuation and increase of their
kind. Next to the composite plants is
the numerous mustard family Cruel
feras). Then comes the pink family
with It's countless representatives, and
the plain-looking grass family, whose
light seeds fly about hither and thither
as the stems are tossed about by the
wind.
"When a summer thunderstorm
bursts, bending the strongest trees, or
when in autumn the wind rushes
through the woods, then the time has
come when the plant children, now on
ly slightly attached to the plant moth
er-that is, the ripe seeds that cling to
them-are torn away and set out on
their adventurous travels; then they
whirl and dance in the air, along with
thousands on thousands of their fel-
lows. Many rise high in air and
sail on the upper air currents far
away; others remain in the tree tops
or hang from the branches; others still
fall on roofs or bare rocks; many, too,
drop on passing men or beasts. Chance
bears few to a place where their
growth is assured; the greater part
must perish"
After mentioning the various trees
that have winged seeds, such as the
ash, maple, ETC., Prof. Muller goes on
to describe peculiarly interesting
plant belonging to this class-the
''rose of Jericho" He says:
''The spherical plant, resembling
birds nest, in the foreground, is the
so-called rose Of Jericho (Anastatica
Hierochuntia), belonging to the family
of Cruciferae When the plant ap.
proaches maturity it forms by the
bending of its branches a spherical
ball that carries the fruit within. Now
the dying mother plant is ready for its
thn xuystt !,
the help of the wind it has become de-
tached from the ground it is rolled
about in the storm, hopping and
springing over the earth, now leaping
over some rock that protrudes from
the sea of sand, now over the bleach.
ing skeleton of some unlucky wander
er of the desert, all the time strewing
its seeds far and wide.
''There are also many plants whose
seeds, by means Of mechanical devices,
are hurled forth from the plant, as in
the oxalis family the geranium, and
many others. Such seeds, however
can travel only short distances, and
that is the reason why we almost
never see the plants growing singly,
but in groups together. Still, some
times they are carried to great dis
tances by passing animals and also by
flowing water.
There is large number Of plants
whose seeds are carried in the stom-
achs of animals, and SO make long
journeys. Water also plays a great
part in the distribution of plants, and
in the case of newly formed animals it
plays the principal part.
"Who has not, on an autumn walk
through wood and field, brought home
these little hangers-on clinging to his
clothes, or been obliged angrily to free
himself from the troublesome obstruc-
tions while still on the road! Unwit-
tingly he has thus aided in the distri.
button of these plants, and, equally un-
Willingly, animals carry the seeds in
their fur and birds bear them on their
feathers, whence they are sooner or
later dislodged The skill shown by
nature in the matter is truly remark
able. These plants are mostly trouble
some weeds which one would rather
see decay and perish, but nature
makes use of us against our wills
to serve for their propagation. We
are like that strict professor, who, to
see that there should be no cheating in
a written examination, went about
from scholar to scholar and thereby
unwittingly aided them to cheat for
he carried about with him placard
bearing the answers to all the ques-
tions, which some scapegrace had
| pinned to his coat tails.
I'm this connection, the interesting