The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-16

To state that human-indeed. all AMI
NAL lffe-is warfare, is but TO reiterate
an oft-repeated proposition. But IT IS
amazing to reflect. in the light OF recent
scientific Investigations, that even in the
primeval solitudes CT the tropical forest
there is a continual battle going on be-
tween the still life-tree against tree,
plant against plant, each and all striving
10 attain life and success against adverse
influences, and at the expense Of the
other.
James Roadway, the famous South Amer
lean traveller. has communicated to the
Smithsonian Institution some remarkably
interesting data showing the relations OF
vegetable life in the luxuriant forests OF
Guiana. This country is, above every
Thing else, famous for its varied and ram
pant forms OF vegetable life. 1t abounds
in magnificent timber trees, elegant
palms, wonderful creeping. climbing, and
scrambling vines, enormous arums and
stately grasses.
'All of these says Mr.. Roadway, seem
conscious that they have TO struggle for
existence and that the fttest only will
survive. Here we have no forest OF one
species-in which there appears to be
something like combination-but every
plant is an individual, and as such strives
with all its might to get ahead of its
neighbor no matter how. Its whole aim
and end is to obtain share of the bright
sunlight which is SO plenteously bestowed,
but nevertheless is so hard to get at. AS
long as the individual succeeds IL does
not care what becomes of the others; ey-
cry one for himself and the sunlight, the
gold of the forest world, for him who out
strips the others-such is their motto"
Myriads of forest denizens die in in
fancy.
The seeds are distributed in all direc-
tons some TO be eaten by birds. others
by quadrupeds and monkeys, while the
vast majority are washed away by floods,
or sicken ald die in the first stage OF ba-
byhood. hundred may terminate under
one tree, but what poor, puny things they
arei They try their best to raise them
selves toward the light above their heads.
but without a share OF that light they have
no strength. Their seed leaves are almost
colorless, while their stefIs are so fragile
that they often break off by their own
weight One by one they fall and die.
Here and. there, however, in some place
where few rays OF the light have sue
eeeded In penetrating the canopy OF the
foliage, one of them becomes strong enough
to get over its first difficulties. Then it
uses up all its strength to push its way
up and up until it arrives at the top. 1t
does not waste its energy by spreading in
any way either at the stem or by branch
ing but straight and thin as walking
stick, at last forces its way into the sun
light.
Now comes a transformation; like a
giant forcing his way through a crowd u
pushes out branch in this direction and
another in that until 1t succeeds in elbow
ing itself into good place.
Except at night there is no rest In ths
tropical forest. The struggle goes on all
through the year, being, perhaps, only
little less in the dry season. This contin-
ued striving may be likened to the life in
one of our great cities. The gift of push,
conspicuous for its absence in the human
nature of the tropics, seems ali bestowed
upon the magnificent vegetable life. In
northern and temperate parts of the coun-
try the case is reversed. There 1t is the
people who "go-ahead," while the trees
and plants jog along quietly. From dawn
to sunset the giants of the South American
forests are hard at work-one may almost
see some of them growing-and as may
naturally be supposed, they must have a
little rest at night. In fact, at evening
they are thoroughly exhausted; their
branches lose their stiffness, thei leaves
droop and fold themselves together.
Forest trees have not only to contend
with each other-this is fair fight where.
II not equally matched, they are nearly
so-but the struggle must be carried on
against interlopers of various kinds.
Creeping, twining, and serambling vines
are determined somehow or other to get
share of the sunlight. There is plenty of