Whole battalions of living mangrove radicles fall into the rivers during
February and March. Out at sea miles from the land you may cross the
sinuous ranks of the marine invaders--a disorderly, planless venture at
the mercy of the wind and waves. Myriads perish, hopeless, waterlogged
derelicts, never finding foothold nor resting-place. But thousands of
these scouts of vegetation live to fulfil the glorious purpose of
winning new lands, of increasing the area of continents. This arrogant
plant not only says to the ocean, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no
further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed" but unostentatiously
wrests from it unwilling territory.
Plants like animals require "food convenient for them," certain
constituents of the soil, certain characteristics of environment, that
they may flourish and fulfil their purpose. This delights in conditions
that few tolerate--saline mud, ooze and frequent flooding by the salt
sea. Drifting into shallow water the sharp end of the spindly radicle
bores into the mud. At once slender but tough roots emerge in radiating
grapples, leaves unfold at the other extremity, and the plan of conquest
has begun.
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