24 CAN PLANTS FEEL? 



bears strongly-spined leaves on all its parts within reach 

 of browsing animals; but the leaves above that level 

 become spineless, as smooth as those of a camellia. To 

 verify this phenomenon, which suggests purpose on the 

 part of the tree or of some higher and external intelli- 

 gence, one should be careful to inspect only the wild 

 holly ; for this is one of our native plants which has been 

 longest subjected to cultivation, resulting in many ' sports ' 

 or abnormal varieties. A similar discrimination is shown 

 by the evergreen or holm oak, the juniper, and the 

 osmanthus, both of which when young carry spiny leaves, 

 but only smooth ones when a safe height is reached. 

 Gorse, which seldom attains a stature above the browsing 

 line, never lays aside its defensive armour. 



It appears from Professor Haberlandt's researches that 

 the sensations of a plant are localised in certain isolated 

 organs; wherefore no lady need apprehend that she is 

 inflicting pain in cutting a nosegay. Nevertheless, the 

 operation is real vivisection the severance of living 

 tissue. 



The spectacle which has suggested these reflections on 

 a January morning certainly suggests that plants are 

 keenly sensitive to other forces than light. Yesterday 

 the leaves of the rhododendrons were all broadly spread 

 in a mild, moist atmosphere ; last night the thermometer 

 fell to 18 Fahrenheit, and the same leaves present quite 

 a different aspect. The common ponticum leaves are 

 sharply depressed; those of the Sikkim rhododendrons 

 are shrivelled and curled into tight rolls, as expressive 

 as possible of dislike to the cold. When the frost passes 

 away they will expand again as before. 



