FEEDING SQtIASHES MILK. 115 



several pumpkin leaves, each of which adjoined a 

 part-grown pumpkin, were cut off, leaving the 

 long hollow stems, which were filled with milk, 

 according to directions. They were examined fre- 

 quently during some two weeks, but the milk failed 

 to be absorbed, and settled in the tubes less than 

 half an inch — no more than might be accounted for 

 by direct evaporation. No one who has noticed 

 how quickly growing pumpkins and other fruits 

 of the kind decay when an opening is accidentally 

 made in them will readily accept the idea that such 

 fruits may be actually nourished by means of food 

 introduced through such openings. 



The case of the so-called " carnivorous " plants 

 is whoUy different. In these there are special 

 arrangements for taking food by parts above 

 ground, yet the amount which even they may 

 acquire in this manner is always small in compari- 

 son with that which is taken up by the roots. The 

 common Pitcher Plant was believed by Darwin to 

 derive nourishment from the numerous dead 

 insects which are always found in the fluid con- 

 tained in their pitcher-like leaves. Mr. Peter Hen- 

 derson repeated the experiments of Darwin on 

 these plants and was unable to see that those which 

 were supplied with an abundance of insects grew 

 any better than those from which insects were 

 excluded. The experiment ought to be tried again, 



