IMakch 1, i£>S>,j l^HE f ROPfCAL AGRICULTURlSf. 



^61 



the marginal hair oi- teeth. Ou the inner walls of 

 these claspers there are placed six irritable hairs, any 

 one of which receiving the slightest touch from an 

 insect is suthcieut to bring the two blades together 

 with such rapidity as to preclude any possiblity of 

 the fly escaping. A correct idea of how the trap 

 closes on its victim may be obtained by bringing 

 the two hands rapidly together, the fingers of the 

 one being Hrmly pressed between those of the other. 

 This plant readily discriminates between animal and 

 other matter ; thus, if a small stone or piece of wood 

 be dropped into the trap it will instantly close, but 

 as soon as it has found out its mistake, and it only 

 takes a, few minutes, it begins to unfold its trap and 

 the piece of wood or stone falls out. On the other 

 hand, should a piece of beef or a bluebottle fly be 

 placed in it, it will remain firmly closed until every 

 particle of organic matter is absorbed through the 

 leaf. It will then unfold itself i»nd is ready for another 

 meal. 



Next in interest comes Sarracenia purpurea. This 

 species is popularly and most appropriately called 

 " The .Vegetable Whisky Shop," as it captures its 

 victims by intoxication. Here is a most excellent 

 theme for temperance advocates. The entire shop is 

 shaped after the manner of a house, with the en- 

 trance projecting a little over the rim. Half way 

 round the brim of the cavity there are an immense 

 number of honey glands, which the influence of the sun 

 brings into active operation. This sweet secretion 

 acts as a lure to passing insects, and they are pretty 

 sure, should they come within its influence, to alight 

 on the outside edge and tap the nectar. They how- 

 ever, remain there but a britf period, as there is 

 something more substantial inside the cavity in the 

 shape of an intoxicating liquid, which is distilled by 

 the plant. The way down to this beverage is straight, 

 there is no crossing over, as the entrance is paved 

 with innumerable fine hairs all pointing to the bottom, 

 and should the fly walk crooked, its feet become 

 entangled in them. When the fly has had its first 

 nip, it does not btop and fly right out, as it could 

 do, but indulges until it is more than " half seas 

 over " ; it then come staggering up, atid reaches that 

 portion where the hairs begin ; here its progress outward 

 is stopped owing to the points of the hairs being 

 placed against it. The fly is now in a pitiable plight ; 

 it attempts to use its wings, but in doing so, only 

 hastens its own destruciion. It inevitably reaches j 

 the bottom, gets immersed in the liquid and dies j 

 drank. j 



Another apecies ui the iast-meutioned genus, Sari'ftcc- i 

 ida j)sittacina, also distils an intoxicant of its own ; 

 but owing to the peculiarly complicated formation of 

 the entrance to its inner parts, it excludes the great 

 majority of insects and admits but a select few. In 

 Europe it is known as the '• city club insecticide." 

 The mdividual pitchers somewhat resemble an inver- 

 ted parrot's bill, with a narrovv leaf-like expansion 

 running along the top. The color is light green, beauti- 

 fully shaded with crimson. The inside of the pitcher 

 is divided into three parts, the first, nearest the 

 entrance, is studded with minute honey glands, and 

 is called the attractive surface; a little further down 

 the in.side, very minute hairs are situated, with their 

 extremities all pointing to the other chamber. This 

 is the conducting surface. Lastly, the small hairs 

 give place to the longer ones, amid which are placed 

 secreting pores, which give forth the intoxicating 

 nectar ; this is termed the detentive surface. When 

 the pitcher has caught a sufhcient number of insects 

 the nectar gives place to a substance which has 

 been ascertained to be identical with gastric juice 

 in its constituents. This is evidently to enable the 

 plant more readily to digest its food. 



Another species which, were it plentiful, would 

 prove a boon and a blessing to man, is Drosera 

 dichotoma, the mosquito catcher. It grows about one 

 foot high, and as its specific name implies, the leaves, 

 after vi'.achitig a certain height, bifiux-ate into long 

 nariow spathes, which are densely covered with club 

 tipptdf rjse colored hairs, each of which is coated 

 vritb a bright gummy subetauct;, TMs during suy* ^ 



shine, gives to the plant a most magnificent appear- 

 ance. This curious plant would seem to have great 

 attractions for the mosquito, for if a plant be placed 

 in a room where they abound, all of the trouble- 

 .«ome pests, will in a brief period, be in its deadly 

 embrace, at first struggling to disentangle a leg or 

 wing, anon finding itself more and more within its 

 toils. It is most interesting to watch the method 

 by which it secures its prey. Immediately the fly 

 alights on the leaf, it may be that only one of its 

 six legs stick to the sweet, viscid substance at the extre- 

 mity of the hairs, but in struggling to free itself it in- 

 variably touches with its legs or wings, the contiguous 

 hairs, and is immediately fixed. The hairs meantime 

 are not idle ; being sensitive, they slowly but surely curl 

 round and draw their victim on the very centre of the 

 leaf, thus bringing it into contact with the very short 

 hairs which are placed there in order to facilitate 

 the process of sucking the life blood from the body. 

 This interesting plant is besides a few others, very • 

 diiBcult to cultivate. Even after imitating nature as 

 closely as possible, the plants thrive but indifferently. — 

 JFashiiiffio/i Go. N. Y. Mail and Express. 



THE EAISING OF PLANTS FROM SEED. 



Mr. J. Hart, Superintendent of the Government Cin- 

 chona Plantations, writing in the JFest Indian Field, 

 says: — 



When a seed is sown, certain chemical changes have 

 to take place before it can develope its parts and 

 grow. The agencies which bring about this change 

 are heat and moisture. A certain proportion of mois* 

 ture must be absorbed, but not too much, or the 

 result is, that unless it belongs to aquatic or semi- 

 aquatic orders, the seed will speedily perish. Great 

 care is therefore necessary — especially with the smaller 

 and more delicate seeds — to place them in soil which 

 contains a suitable amount of moisture. If the seeds 

 are known to be such as soon lose their vitality or 

 hive been kept so long that it is evident a loss of 

 growing power has taken place, a more delicate system 

 of treatment is required than for those which are 

 known to be fresh and recently matured. The best 

 practice with such, is first of all to place them in 

 earth which contains only a very small, or scarcely per- 

 ceptible quantity of moisture, and to let them remain 

 in it until they commence to show that a sufficient 

 amount has been absorbed to give rise to the act, 

 or process of germination. When this is seen by 

 examination to have taken place water may then be 

 given in daily increasing quantities until the plants" 

 are sufficiently strong to stand the application of water 

 in larger quantities. 



As a rule seeds should only be covered with earth 

 to the depth represented by the average diameter of 

 the particular kind sown, but many seeds possess a 

 vital principle so strong, that to scatter them on the 

 surface of the soil is sufficient to ensure a speedy 

 development of their germinating powers. Some have 

 the power of burying themselves in the earth by an 

 inherent property possessed either by themselves, or 

 the plant producing them; a familiar instance being 

 that of the earthnut or Pindar, Arachis, hypogea, 

 many others could also be mentioned, but this in- 

 stance is sufficient to call to mind the peculiar pro- 

 perties possessed by some plants to further the re- 

 production of the species, and to maintain themselves 

 in the "battle for life." 



The covering of soil serves the purpose i)f sur- 

 rounding the seed with an equable but slightly varying 

 temperature, provides for the absorption of the neces- 

 sary moisture, and preserves them against the effect 

 of light and too rapid evaporation, all of which liave 

 prejudicial effects upon germination; but is not essen- 

 tially necessary to allow the process of germination 

 to take place, as can be shown by keeping seeds by 

 other means in a state, in which the conditions sup- 

 plied by the soil are fairly represented, if such are 

 provided germination takes place in most instances, 

 very freely. An opinion is sometimes entertained that 

 seeds should be deeply buried, that they may have 

 a good liold of the grouud, but tlii§ is i|uito uuueces« 



