The Project Gutenberg EBook of Seed Dispersal, by William J. Beal

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Title: Seed Dispersal

Author: William J. Beal

Release Date: July 31, 2008 [EBook #26158]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SEED DISPERSAL ***

Produced by Ron Swanson

SEED DISPERSAL

BY
W. J. BEAL, M.S., PH.D.
PROFESSOR OF BOTANY AND FORESTRY IN MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE

GINN & COMPANY
BOSTON . NEW YORK . CHICAGO . LONDON

COPYRIGHT, 1898
BY WILLIAM J. BEAL

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
36.11

The Athenaeum Press
GINN & COMPANY . PROPRIETORS . BOSTON . U.S.A.

PREFACE.

This little book is prepared with the thought of helping young
botanists and teachers. Unless the reader has followed in detail,
by actual experience, some of the modes of plant dispersion, he can
have little idea of the fascination it affords, or the rich rewards
in store for patient investigation.

A brief list of contributions to the subject is given; but, with very
few exceptions, the statements here made, unless otherwise mentioned
in the text, are the results of observations by the author.

I am under obligations for suggestions by my colleague, Prof. W. B.
Barrows; my assistant, Prof. C. F. Wheeler; and a former instructor
of botany, L. H. Dewey, now of the United States Department of
Agriculture. B. O. Longyear, instructor in botany, with very few
exceptions, has made the drawings.

W. J. BEAL.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MICHIGAN.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.--HOW ANIMALS GET ABOUT.
PAGE
1. Most of the larger animals move about freely . . . . . . . . 1
2. Some animals catch rides in one way or another . . . . . . . 2

CHAPTER II.--PLANTS SPREAD BY MEANS OF ROOTS.

3. Fairy rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4. How nature plants lilies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5. Roots hold plants erect like ropes to a mast . . . . . . . . 8
6. How oaks creep about and multiply . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

CHAPTER III.--PLANTS MULTIPLY BY MEANS OF STEMS.

7. Two grasses in fierce contention . . . . . . . .