502 
AMEEIOAIT AamOULTUEIST. 
[November, 
A Fish-Destroying Plant. 
Some items having appeared in tlic daily papers 
describing in an indefinite way a plant that de¬ 
stroyed the young in tlie Government fish ponds at 
Washington, we made inquiry of the U. S. Fish 
Commission, as to the facts in the case. The editor 
of the “ Fish Commission Bulletin,” Mr. C. AV. 
Smiley, promptly replied, referring us to notes 
on the subject, and soon after forwarded us a copy 
of an engraving prepared for the “ Bulletin.” The 
plant in question is the Common Bladderwort, 
Ulrindaria vulgaris, an aqual.ie plant, common !in 
England, and in a modified form in this country. 
Besides this species there are some half a dozen 
others, so closely resembling it in manner of growth 
that a description of one will answer for all the 
others. The Bladdervvorts are mostly floating plants 
and nearly rootless. Their leaves are submerged 
and very much divided. An erect stem, six inches 
or more high, bears several yellow or purple 
flowers, which are two-lipped with a spur, and re¬ 
semble those of a Snapdragon. The leaves are 
furnished with numerous small bladders, which 
were formerly supposed to be for the sole purpose 
of floating the plant while in flower, but which are 
now known to have other uses. The engraving 
shows a plant of the Common Bladderwort, re¬ 
duced in size. The flower-stalk in the real plant is 
from six to twelve inches high ; the immersed 
stems, from one to tiirce feet long, are covered 
with finely divided leaves, bearing numerous blad¬ 
ders. These give the genus its name, which is from 
uti-icrdus, tlie Latin for a little bladder. The ob- 
seiwations of Mrs. Mary Treat, of New Jersey, as 
quoted by Darwin, and others, show that these 
bladders, instead of serving as floats, are generally 
filled with water and provide the plant with food 
by trapping vast numbers of animalcules, small 
larva?, worms, etc. One of these bladders, magni¬ 
fied, is shown at the left hand of the engraving (3). 
AVithout giving a minute description, we may say, 
that these bladders arc about one-tenth of an inch 
in diameter, and are most admirably contrived for 
entrapping small animals. The opening of the 
bladder usually pointing downward, is guarded by 
an elastic valve so arranged, that its edge yields to 
the pressure of small creatures from without and 
admits them, but it only opens inwards, and an 
animal once caught c.an not escape. Projecting 
from the orifice are long, slender, branched h.airs, 
called “antennae,” which serve to attract the small 
animals and guide them to the entrance to the 
bladder. Those who wdsh to know more of the 
structure of these bladders are referred to Uar- 
wdn’s “Insectivorous Plants,” where they will find 
the evidence that the creatures caught in the blad¬ 
ders decay, and afford nourishment to the plant. 
The past summer, Mr. G. E. Simms, Jr., of Eng¬ 
land, was hatching perch and 
roach from the spawn in an 
aquarium. Discovering that 
many of the young fry were 
dead, he investigated the cause. 
Upon lifting a young fish, he 
found that its head was fast in 
a bladder of the Bladderwort; 
other fishes were held by the 
tail, and in some cases the head 
and the tail of a fish were 
caught by two distinct blad¬ 
ders. A bladder, holding a 
young fish by the tail, is given 
on the right hand side of the 
engraving (4). Professor Mose¬ 
ley, Oxford University, examin¬ 
ed the specimens and confirmed 
Mr. Simms in his view of the 
cause of the death of the jmung 
fry. Professor Moseley com¬ 
municated the facts and speci¬ 
mens of entrapped fry to the U. 
S. Fish Commission, and the 
matter is under investigation 
by Mr. Smiley. It is important 
to know what kinds of fry are 
liable to loss from this cause, 
and also whether all of our spe¬ 
cies of Utricularia are equally 
dangerous. Hatching ponds 
may be easily kept free of the 
plant, as it floats and may be 
raked out. The case is interest¬ 
ing, as showing that every 
scientific fact, however in¬ 
significant it appears when first established, 
may have a very important practical bearing. 
Watering Plants. 
Probably the most important matter to be ob¬ 
served in growing house-plants is that of watering 
them. The cultivator should know just 
when to water, and to give it where it will do 
the most good. Amateur florists often ex¬ 
hibit much poor judgment in watering. It 
is the habit of some to keep the soil about 
their plants constantly soaked with water, 
and they wonder why they are not thrifty 
or healthy. These cultivators do not stop 
to consider that such treatment is un¬ 
natural, and will have an effect contrary to 
what is desired. There are those who resort 
to the opposite extreme, and keep their 
plants all the time in a perishing con¬ 
dition of dryness, which is even worse than 
if they were watered to death. If we will 
observe how judiciously Nature distributes 
the sunshine and shadow, the periodical 
rains, and the refreshing dews, we will learn 
an important lesson. Animal nature is very 
much like the vegetable in this respect. A 
pot, or other receptacle in which plants are 
grown, should be porous ; glazed, or painted 
pots, ought never to be used where plain, 
unglazed pots can be obtained ; all non-por- 
ous pots of tin and similar material, should 
be discarded. Plants grow’ing in them can 
never compare in health with those that have 
the advantage of plain porous pots. There 
should be a hole of sufficient size in the bot¬ 
tom of each pot, to allow the water to drain 
off, and to pass away as soon as possible. 
Placing a few pieces of broken crocks, or 
charcoal, in the bottom of the pots will 
facilitate a rapid drainage, as good drainage 
is essential to the growth of strong and 
healthy plants. AVhen plants require water, it 
will be indicated by a light, dry appearance of 
the top of the soil, and if watered when in this 
condition, it will do the most good. Give water 
only when in this condition, and then copiously, 
giving them all they will soak up at the time, then 
withhold water until the same indication of their 
want of it again appears, and apply it freely. Un¬ 
less plants are in a very dry atmosphere, as in a 
warm parlor in winter, they will seldom require 
watering. In summer they should be closely 
watched, and if exposed to wind and sun, they will 
require daily watering, to keep them in a flourish¬ 
ing state. AA^hen plants are suffering from drouth, 
the leaves will droop, frequently turn yellow, 
and drop off prematurely ; this can be avoided by 
timely attention to the growing plants each day. 
In summer, watering in the cool of the evening 
will be followed by the best results, for it will give 
the plants time to take up and assimilate the mois¬ 
ture necessary to their life, and being completely 
charged with water, they will be prepared for the 
hot sun and drying winds of the next day. J. S. 
Another New Raspberry — The 
“ Raneocas. ” 
Like nearly all other valuable raspberries, the 
Raneocas is a chance seedling. Mr. Albert H.an- 
sell, of the town of Raneocas, N. J., discovered in 
a most unfavorable locality, a bush which appear¬ 
ed to present so many good qualities, he was in¬ 
duced to try the effect of giving it a better chance. 
As the result the plant was propagated as rapidly 
as possible, and several acres were set with it to 
supply fruit for market; thus the variety has been 
tested on a large scale. This fall the plants are 
placed on the market by the Chase Nurseries, who 
claim for it an earliness equal to that of any other 
variety. According to Mr. Ilansell, he commenced 
picking the Raneocas this year on June 21st, having 
made his last picking of Sharpless strawberries on 
June 19th. Other claims are: It is as hardy as 
the hardiest, yields as well as the most productive, 
and in size is equal to the largest good market 
berry, being uniformly larger than the Bra’ldy- 
wine. The engraving gives the size and shape of 
the fruit. The principal point in a market berry is 
its firmness, to allow it to be shipped. “As a 
shipper, it is perfect.” This is a strong claim to 
make, but it is supported by the statement that 
“ the fniit has been shipped in quantity from 
Philadelphia to Boston, arriving there in perfect 
condition.” Mr. Ilansell states that in his planta¬ 
tion for market, he does not use stakes or trel- 
TIIE TtA>'C0CA,S EASPBERRT. 
