FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 203 



and thus throw the seeds broadcast in every direction. The stem of the 

 squirting cucumber comes off and the juice squirts the seeds out the opening 

 for some distance. The leaves of white clover, lupine, oxalis, and a vast 

 number of other plants take one position in the night, another in the day time. 

 Many flowers open and close more than once. The pistils of eel-grass grow on 

 long stems which let them to the top of the water, where pollen fertilizes 

 them. After this the stem coils spirally and draws the pistil under water 

 where it is ripened. Many other water plants do the same thing. A hop vine 

 or morning glory gets up by spirally twining about a stick or string. It swings 

 once around in an hour or two in warm weather. When it gets to the top of 

 a stake it lops over horizontally, reaches out several feet, and will catch any- 

 thing within reach in any direction. Grape vines will do the same thing. A 

 tendril of squash vine can be seen to move in a warm day if it is irritated a 

 little. The leaves and leaflets of sensitive plants go to sleep, as we say, every 

 night. If brushed or jarred they will close at any time and then slowly open 

 again. Some plants close up the leaf quickly to catch and devour flies 

 which light on them. In some plants small, sticky glands move up, catch 

 and retain, and digest the small insects. This is true of the guuden common 

 in our swamps. There are no plants in Michigan large enough to catch and 

 devour men, or even children in this way. The stamens or the pistils or other 

 parts of many flowers move quickly in some definite way to aid in fertilization 

 by insects. Some very small plants live in the water and consist of one 

 minute cell, which has the power of swimming against the current. Tiiis is 

 true of diatoms and desmids. The seeds or fruit of erodium much resemble 

 those of our wild geranium. At one end of the seed is a spiral point or arm 

 which bends off at right angles at the top. This seed has a sharp point at the 

 base. When wet the arm untwists and becomes straight; when it dries the 

 arm coils up again. In this way the seed often buries itself deep in the sand. 

 It is often quite troublesome on sheep in California, where it bores into the 

 skin as it twists and untwists in the wool with alternate wetting and drying. 

 Plants have no nerves. They move by a change in the size or shape of 

 some of the cells. Just how this comes about is not known. There 

 is no end to observations and experiments which have been made on the 

 motions of plants, and there is much yet to learn. Some of the practical 

 bearings of this topic have been pointed out, others are just beginning to 

 dawn on the minds of botanists. An abstract fails to give a fair conception 

 of this interesting and instructive lecture, which was greatly appreciated by 

 the audience. 



The afternoon session began with a further explanation of the silo at the 

 Agricultural College, by Professor Johnson. Samples were examined. Much 

 interest was shown by the farmers in this subject. 



Mrs. A. V. Weatherwax read an essay entitled "Farmers' Eelation to our 

 Common Schools." She urged paying more attention to this subject. She 

 referred to the school system of our State as it formerly existed, and as it now 

 exists. We need more competent school officers, better school-houses, and 

 neater surroundings. The air is often sickening for the want of ventilation. 

 The people are liberal in giving money for schools, but they do not see that it 

 is well expended. Much time of the teacher and pupils is often lost for the 

 want of some simple conveniences. The best place in which to give temper- 

 ance lectures is to the small children in our schools. 



R. G. Baird, Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, gave an address 

 on the 



