Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-11-20
TRAVELS OF SEEDS.
fATURE'S VARIED DEVICES FOR SCAT
TERlNG THEM,
Tome Are Fitted With Parachutes, Which
Carry Thcm-The Dying Mother "Rose
of Jericho"-How Seeds Are Distributed
by Animals and Water.

of Jericho"-How Seeds Are Distributed
by Animals and Water.
Nature has spared no pains to provide
Tor the perpetuation of living organisms
enc Is prodlgal, 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 directed to the distribution
OF these seeds. So effective is this machin-
cry that plants spread in a few years over
WIDE regions. Witness the incursions of
weeds like the SO called Russian thistle,
against which the efforts of the farmer
seem almost unavailing. The means by
which this rapid spreading is brought
about are the subject Of an article by Pro
lessor +. Muller in Der Stein der Weis-
en-, Vienna, of which we translate the
most interesting portions:
Who has sent them (the plants) rs
coionists into this new, unpeopled lands
Whence have they come and by what way?
II we call the roll of the army of colonists
mat we may get an answer TO this ques-
ZION, we shall find especially plants whose
SEEDS can navigate the air like miniature
living machines often for long distances
All these belong to the widely distributed
aster family (composita) or TO the nearly
related teazel family (dipsacee) Their
seeds are furnished, to fit them for their
long sails through the airy sea- with a
sort of parachute Of soft, feathery flbers
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 Gy
with tho eagle over hill and dale TO far
and foreign lands. Millions, to be sure,
fall to the ground without reaching the
sought for soil, but other millions fulfill
the end of their existence, the perpetual
ton and increase of their kind. Next to
the composite plants is the numerous mus
tard family (cruciferp) Then comes the
pink family with its countless representa-
tives and the plain looking grass family,
whose light seeds ly about hither and
thither as the stems are tossed about by
the wind
when 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 only slightly attached
to the plant motheP-that is the ripe seeds
that cling to thom-are torn away and
set out on their adventurous travels; then
they Thirl ind 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 re-
main 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 u place whore
their growth is assured. The greater part
must perish
After mentioning the various trees that
have winged seeds, such as the ash, maple,
etc. Professor Muller goes on to describe
peculiarly interesting plant belonging to
this class-the rose of Jericho" He says:
1.-The spherical plant resembling bird 5
nest in the foreground, is the so called rose
of Jericho (Anastatica hierochuntia), be-
longing to the family of crucifer;e. When
the plant approaches maturity, it forms
by the bending of its branches q spherical
ball that carries the fruit within. Now
the dying mother plant is ready for its
journey over the desert. When, with tho
help of the wind, it has become detached
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 bleaching skeleton of some unlucky
wandoror Of the desert, all the time strew
ing its seeds far and wide
There arr also many plants whose
seeds by means of mechanical devices, ars
hurled forth from the plant, as in the OK
ais family, tie geranium and many 9th
ers Such seeds, however can travel only
short distances, and that is tho reason why
we almost mover 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 a large number of plants
whose seeds are carried in tho stomachs of
animals and so mako long journeys.
Water also plays a great part in the dis
tribution of plants, and in the case Of
newly formed islands it plays the princi-
pal part
"Who has not on an autumn walk
through wood and field brought homo
these little hangers on, clinging to bis
clothes, or been obliged angrily to free
himself from the troublesome distractions
while still on the road? Unwittingly he
has thus aided in the distribution of these
pants, dItt, ttitiiiiy uuNItIllglN, iHIIl!diS
carry the seeds III their fur and birds bear
them on their feathers whence they arc
sooner or later dislodged. The skill shown
by nature in the matter is truly remark
able These plants are mostly troublesome
weeds which one would rather see decay
and perish, but nature makes use of Us
against our wills to serve for their propa-
cation. We are like that strict professor
who, to see that there should be no cheat
ing in written examination, went about
from scholar to scholar and thereby I'M
Willingly aided them to cheat. for he car
ried about with him placard bearing tho
answers to all the questions, which some
sly scapegraoe 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 -
Literary Digest
victcr Emanuel Sees Things.
There is n Eomply story fold nf Xittorio