AN AUNT JANE STORY. 



CURIOUS PLANTS —PART L 



"Oh, girls, come here," called Aunt 

 Jane, from over the garden fence, to the 

 children who were playing tennis on the 

 lawn. ''Do come here and see what a 

 perfect treasure my friend has sent me." 



"Pretty soon. Auntie; we are almost 

 through the game," was the response. 



A few moments later, both girls and 

 boys were gathered in the grapevine ar- 

 bor, around a fiower-pot which contained 

 the remarkable gift. 



"It is Drosera, or Sundew," explained 

 Aunt Jane. "I have been wanting to see 

 a specimen of it ever since I learned it 

 was so ~ famous that its biography has 

 been written, a poem composed in its 

 honor, and its picture taken by various 

 artists." 



"Just sit down here in this garden- 

 chair. Aunt Jane; we will all get into 

 the hammocks and will keep ever so still 

 while you tell us all about 'Sundew,' and 

 any other curious flower of your 

 acquaintance," coaxed Alice, in her most 

 persuasive tone, as she arranged the 

 cushion, and drew Aunt Jane toward the 

 chair. 



"Children, I won't deceive you. I will 

 confess at once that this wonderful new 

 acquaintance of mine is very wicked." 



"Wicked! Aunt Jane; will it poison 

 you?" 



"Oh, no, it won't hurt me, or you, 

 either, but it has its victims neverthe- 

 less, and has acquired its fame in conse- 

 quence of its moral obliquity." 



"What can it have done! The red- 

 dish-leaved, odd-looking plant, does not 

 seem to have a very villainous expres- 

 sion," said Alice, as she took another 

 survey of Drosera. 



"Look closely," said Aunt Jane, "at 

 the round, flat leaves ; they are covered 

 with red glands, and these 'red-lipped' 

 mouths arc carnivorous." 



"I thought animals were carnivorous, 

 not flowers," said John. "Who ever 

 heard of flowers eating flesh? They have 

 no teeth." 



"No; but the leaf of the Drosera se- 

 cretes a glutinous substance, like honey, 

 which attracts insects. When a leaf is 

 touched, a tendril around the edge of it 

 closes it up securely, and the helpless vic- 

 tim becomes food for the plant." 



"The poet was quite right, then, in 

 saying the leaf has 'mouths,' " observed 

 Alice. 



"Yes, poets are often happy in their 

 choice of terms, which are descriptive of^ 

 natural objects." 



"Do tell us why Drosera is called 

 'Sundew'?" Edith inquired. 



"Because the clear fluid it exudes glit- 

 ters like dewdrops. Naturalists have es- 

 timated that each leaf of Drosera aver- 

 ages two hundred drops of this secretion. 

 It is a curious fact that 'Sundew' will let 

 go any, other substance, such a strip or 

 a stone, when it closes upon it; but an 

 insect it holds fast and uses. As John- 

 nie seems to have some doubts upon the 

 subject of carnivorous plants, I must tell 

 him about 'Venus' Fly Trap.' " 



"Do," cried John; "you make flowers 

 almost as interesting as wolves." 



"Hear that boy comparing flowers and 

 wolves !" cried Bird. "I should think he 

 would know better." 



"Well, now, why shouldn't I? Aunt 

 Jane says that they 'eat things up,' and 

 so do wolves. There is one point of re- 

 semblance, at least." 



"You would never imagine," contin- 

 ued Aunt Jane, "such a gay, innocent- 

 looking flower as 'Venus' Fly Trap,' 

 could ever be so cruel as to lure innocent 

 flics by her beauty, and then shut her 

 trap-door upon them and leisurely pro- 

 ceed to digest the little prisoners. Bot- 



64 



