PLANTS THAT GO TO SLEEP 159 
finally submitted to its unnatural method of liv- 
ing, and, like some people, “turned night into day.” 
Single plants, when observed at night, do not 
present the sleeping appearance so strikingly as 
when grouped together in beds. Professor Lind- 
ley says: “Plants of corn, in which there is very 
little indication of sleep when growing singly, ex- 
hibit this phenomenon very distinctly when observed 
in masses; their leaves becoming flaccid, and their 
ears drooping at night.” 
This regular sleeping and waking of plants has 
occupied the attention of such distinguished men 
as Linneus and Darwin; Chaucer and Shakespeare 
have spoken of it; and it has been observed by many 
others. Linnzus was led into making a series of 
investigations through a peculiar circumstance 
which Ann Pratt has interestingly described: 
“A friend had sent him some seeds of a species 
of lotus. The red flowers which sprung from them 
excited his admiration, and as his gardener was ab- 
sent when they came in bloom, Linnezus, immedi- 
ately upon his return, took him to the greenhouse 
to see this new floral treasure. It was evening, 
and with a lantern they proceeded to the spot; but 
what was the surprise and vexation of Linneus 
at finding that his beautiful blossoms had quite 
disappeared! He concluded that they had been 
