Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-26
VELS OF SEEDS.
NATURES VARIED DEVICES FOR SCAT
 TERING THEM.

by Animals and Water.
 Nature has spared no pains to provide for tho porpetuation of living organisms. She is rroaigal, even apparently wasJeful, fin her efforts to attain this end Every plant throws out yearly it's nyriads of seeds, and TO small part of the machinery adapted to mako this product fulfill it's mission is that directed to tho distributions of these seeds So effective is this machin- cry that plants spread in few years oTcr wide regions Witness the ineGrsion5 of weeds lika tho so called Russian thistle, against which the efforts Of the farmer seem almost unavailing. Tho means by which this rapid spreading is brought about are tho subject of an article by Pro lessor F Muller in Der Stein der Weis- ell, D Vienna, of which we translate the most interesting portions
 Who has sent them ttho plants) as colonist3 into this new unpeopled land? Whence haye they como and by what way? If we call the roll of tho army of colonists that VIC may get an answcr to this ques- tion, we shall find especially plants whose seeds can navigate the air like miniature flying machines, often for long distances. All these belong to tho widely distributed aster family (composit;e) or to tho nearly related toazel family ldipsaceie) Their seeds Gro furnished, to fit them for their long sails through tho airy son, with sort of parachute of soft, fcathcry Gbcrs. The lightcst breezo raises them and bears them in graceful sweep over field and meadow, but tho storm wind lifts them to the region Of tho clouds so that they fly with tho eagle over hill and dale to far and foreign lands. Millions, to ho sure, fall to tho ground without reaching tho sought for soil, but other millions fulfill the end of their existence, the perpotua- tion and increase of their kind Next to the composite plants is thonnmcrous mus tard family (crucitcrR) Then comes the pink family with its countless representa- tives and tho plain looking grass family, whose light seeds ly about hithcr and thither as the stems arc tossed about by the wind
 When summer thunderstorm bursts, bending tho strongest trees, or when in autumn the wind rushos through the woods, then the time has come when the plant children, now only slightly attached to the plant mother-that is tho ripe seeds that cling to thom-aro torn away and set out on their adventurous travels thon tHtJ nllli anu NtitiOo tiO iiii tioA1e5 with thousands on thousands of their fel- lows. Many rise high in air and sail on the upper air currents far away; others re- main in the trco 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 place where their growth is assured. The greater part must perish.
 After mentioning the various trees that have winged seeds, such as tho ash, maple, etc Professor Muller goes on to describe peculiarly interesting plant belonging to this class-the rose of Jericho" Hesays:
 "The spherical plant, resembling birds nest in tho foreground, Is the so called rose of Joricho' (Anastatica hierochuntia), be- longing to the family of cruciferB. Whom the plant approaches maturity, it forms by tho bending of its branches a spherical ball that carries tho fruit within. l Now the dying mother plant is ready for its journey over the desert When, with the help of the wind it has become detached from tho ground, it is rolled about in tho storm. hopping and springing over tho earth. now leaping over some rock that protrudes from the sea of sand, now over the bleaching skeleton of some unlucky wanderer of the desert, all the time strew- ing it's seeds far and wide
 "Thero are also many plants whose seeds, by means of mechanical devices, are hurled forth from the plant, as in the OK alis family, tho geranium and many oth- CTS Such seeds, however can travel only short distances and that is the reason why we almost never sec the plants growing singly, but in groups together. Still some- times they are carried to great distances by passing animals, and also by flowing water.
 There is large number of plants whose seeds arc carried in the stomachs of animals and so make long journeys. Water also plays a great part in the dis tribution of plants, and in the caso of newly formed islands it plays tho princi- pal part.
 Who has not on an autumn walk through wood and field brought homo these little hangers on, clinging to his clothes, or been obliged angrily to free himself from the troublesome Instructions while still on the road? Unwittingly he has thus aided in the distribution of these plants, and, equally unwittingly, 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 ablo. These plants are mostly troublesome weeds which one would rather sec decay and perish, but nature makes use of us against our wills to servo for their propa- gation. We are like that strict professor who, to see that there should be no cheat ing in Q written examination, went about from scholar to scholar and thereby un- willingly aided them to cheat, for he car ried about with him placard bearing the answers to all the questions, which some sly scapegrace had pinned to his coattails.
 "In this connection the interesting fact should be stated that very many plants
 whose fruits serve to nourish neither man nor beast have these devices for securing the distribution of their seeds In the case of plants whose fruits are sought as food this very fact is sufficient security that
 the seeds will be properly distributed "-