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Personality of plants

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PLANTS AND MEN<br />

Fodder <strong>plants</strong>, calculated to furnish food for<br />

man's domestic animals, were the next to re-<br />

ceive attention, and following those, medical<br />

<strong>plants</strong>, edible fruits, garden vegetables and<br />

aromatic leaves and seeds, such as Tea and<br />

C<strong>of</strong>fee, came to the fore.<br />

When we consider that <strong>plants</strong> display<br />

superior powers in so many directions and, as<br />

F. L. Sargent says, "do to perfection so many<br />

things we cannot do at all," it is really remarkable<br />

that man has so completely subjected them<br />

to his will. Because <strong>of</strong> their static condition,<br />

they are quite helpless in his hands. He levels<br />

their grandest forests and ourns their widest<br />

prairies. Certain <strong>plants</strong> he makes his pets, fight-<br />

ing their enemies and nurturing them in the<br />

most careful way. The tender Wheat would<br />

never be able to occupy the vast stretches it<br />

does through its own strength. Under man's<br />

guidance and protection, its volume is increased<br />

a thousand fold.<br />

< The vast changes which human efforts make<br />

in the surface <strong>of</strong> the earth have a correspondingly<br />

important effect on vegetation. Every<br />

time a tract <strong>of</strong> woods is cut down, every time a<br />

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