2o6 The Great World's Farm 



Most of the arums of the temperate zones blossom 

 early in the year, when the nights are still chilly enough 

 to make the prospect of a warm lodging attractive. 



Blossoms breathe more rapidly than leaves, and are 

 always therefore a little the warmer. Buds just opening 

 breathe so fast, if they are large, like those of a cucumber, 

 that when they are isolated under a glass containing a tiny 

 thermometer, the mercury may be seen to rise sometimes 

 nearly two degrees. 



Many blossoms heat so much more than this, however, 

 that the difference may be felt as well as seen. This is 

 the case with the arums, whose so-called blossom is really 

 an assemblage of many blossoms. In the common wild 

 arum, "lords and ladies," the temperature rises several 

 degrees, but in the heart-leaved arum of the Isle of Bour- 

 bon the temperature of the sceptre, or spadix, has been 

 known to rise to 95^ F., and nearly 102° F., and that, 

 too, when the temperature of the air was only 59 "" F. 



But the common Italian arum outdoes even its tropical 

 cousin, and its spadix becomes hotter than a hot bath, its 

 temperature being nearly lio' F. 



Arums are especially marsh-plants, and though one 

 does not naturally associate the idea of warmth with such 

 cold creatures as snails, it seems that it is these which are 

 chiefly attracted to the arums of south Europe, and no 

 doubt, of other parts of the world. 



One of the foreign arums grown in hot-houses for the 

 sake of their handsome foliage was observed one day at 

 noon to begin to blossom and grow warm at the same time, 

 its temperature rising beyond 100° F. Suddenly it gave 

 out a strong, fragrant scent, between that of cinnamon and 

 musk, which filled the whole house, and would no doubt 



