SEPTEMBER 187 



that even the gizzard of a blackbird fails to 

 crush them. So these vagrants serve as the 

 active disseminators of the canny plant, 

 which thus gains a foothold in every fence 

 corner. 



NEVER TOUCH IT 



But, after all, the poison itself is probably 

 the strongest element in the plant's success. 

 Every part of the plant contains it; every 

 season of the year finds it present and active. 

 Even dry and dead plants will still poison 

 if handled roughly by sensitive fingers. But 

 one count brought against the plant is false. 

 It wounds no one except in self-defence. 

 The idea, very prevalent, that sensitive 

 persons need only pass to leeward of it 

 when it is wet with dew, in order to be 

 poisoned by it is a mistaken one. 



I know this is a statement that will be 

 seriously doubted by many careful observers, 

 but thorough research by a worker in one 

 of the great physiological laboratories of 

 the country has put this beyond doubt. 



The poisonous substance in the plant is 



