Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-07-18

How old Ocean Transports ths
Germs Of Future Forests.

Germs Of Future Forests.
BY far the greater part OF the tree
seeds which terminate fall directly
to the ground, and spring up near
the spot whore they grew. Many
seeds, however, are carried long dis
tances by birds, squirrels and other
animals, while some are borne on the
wind, often for many miles, and are
thus spread rapidly into regions
where they never existed before.
Such examples are familiar to all
who have kept their eyes open and
observed what was going on around
them.
But 1t Is not generally known,
perhaps, what an important part the
sea plays In carrying and planting
seeds. 1t Is in the tropics, whore
the sun pours down flood Of light
and heat throughout the entire year,
whore vegetation grows unchecked
at time when the temperate re-
gions are wrapped in winter, that
any careful observer may watch at
any time the process by which the
ocean plants forests.
Says traveller: - have seen in
small bays and sheltered coves
among the West Indies thousands
Of bushels Of tropical seeds OF every
size and form imaginable-from little
things not half so large as a kernel
of wheat up to great cocoanut.
I'm many places they cover acres
OF surface in the water, or are piled
up in regular ricks along the shore.
sin most parts Of the tropics there
are one or more rainy seasons in the
year, during which, often in a very
short time, an immense amount Of
water falls, which carries vast guam
titles Of seeds into the streams, and
so into the sea. Sometimes the for
ests reach to the shore, and the
fruits that grow on them drop di-
rectly into the water.
Some Of these, such as mangrove
and the Avicennia. terminate before
leaving the tree, and are ready to be-
gin life in the capacity Of young
plants as soon as they find q suitable
place in which to grow in. During
storms the tide sweeps over large
areas of low land, bearing out an i'm
mense amount of loose material.
Elsewhere the sea is constantly en-
croaching upon the land, carrying
away quantities OF trees and under
growth.
ION the east coast Of Honduras /
have seen acres of forest topping
over into the sea. where the shore
was being carried away by waves and
currents.
Prof. Agassiz estimated that from
the mouth of the Amazon River to
the northern part of South America
strip of land not less than 300 miles
in width had been washed away by
the Gulf Stream since the present
species of plants have existed.
Thrown thus upon the bosom of
the sea, these little wanderers start
out on their journey for unknown
shores. 1t may be for days, months.
or years, alone or in great dri is,
perhaps to be stranded on cold, in
hospitable coast to perish, or to land
on some bright tropical beach to find
home as warm and sunny as the
one they left. or, possibly, to return
again after lapse OF time.
Little is known of the length of
time the germs Of seed will live in
the ocean. | have seen cocoanuts
floating about along tropical beaches
with roots foot and half long,
and leaves fully twice that length,
ready to grow as soon as they were
thrown upon the land, and appar-
emily in the most perfect vigor.
Young mangroves will live on the
sea for whole year. Perhaps the
storm that throws them on the shore
sweeps them far in over lowland be-
fore it deposits them, other great
breakers roll in and cover them with
sand and mud, or they may land in
the forest. and thus be screened from
the rays OF the sun. In few years
colony is established. planted by
the hand of the sea. and matured in
the lap Of the earth.
ION the island of Trinidad there is
q splendid 'cocal, extending for four
teen miles along the beach, which
has grown from a shipwrecked cargo
of coco&huts.