THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
plants pieces of egg, particles of meat, etc. 
and they -were entirely digested. 
Notwithstanding the high nervous tempera¬ 
ment of the leaves, cutting and pricking them 
will cause no movement; repeated gusts of 
wind or drops of rain have no effect. 
That anything in the vegetable kingdom 
should be endowed with such a high nervous 
system, as to he capable of catching insects 
and to reject or accept that which is placed 
upon its leaf, according to whether it prove 
the right food or not, socms wonderful indeed. 
This one plant in particular, which has engaged 
our attention, is assuredly a most interesting 
one, yet the enthusiastic botanist finds much 
that is strange and wonderful in the common 
plauts to be found in the dooryards and 
by the roadsides. 
With all the varied forms of plant life that 
are to be found in our midst, in which are min¬ 
gled tho strange, wonderful, and beautiful, 
and which furnish plentiful opportunities for 
the most entertaining of instruction, it seems 
truly strange that so few people engage in 
the study of botany. Uncle Mark. 
Malarial poison has, in late years, in¬ 
creased to an alarming extent hi all parts 
of tliis country, manifesting itself in many 
places formerly free from it, and every¬ 
where demonstrating an activity and virii- 
leneti that have made it the subject of the 
gravest apprehensions. Defects in sewer 
systems: bad pluinbiug; excavations— 
especially those fn made ground; stagnant 
ponds maintained for ornamental efleet in 
public parks; polluted water supply, and 
various other causes conduce to make 
malaria common In cities. In tho coun¬ 
try, the conditions naturally producing 
miasma, such as swampy and overflowed 
lands, sluggish streams, decomposing veg¬ 
etable matter, and defective ciraiuage of 
fields and farm-yards, have been aggra¬ 
vated. in very many instances, by reckless 
engineering—in the construction of high¬ 
ways. railroads, and canals—which has 
cut off small watcr-courscs, both subter¬ 
ranean and surface,and so interfered with 
the natural drainage of the land. De¬ 
struction of the forests has also aided the 
spread of Malaria, by causing snow and 
rain falls to pass oil’ rapidlvlu floods, over¬ 
flowing low lands and leaving much water 
stagnant thereon. There are very few 
places in the land that can be said to be 
entirely free from malarial infection, and 
no person can deem himself safe from its 
insidious nud deadly attacks. The much 
dreaded “Chagrcs Fever” is not more 
fatal than kindred maladies, to which the 
miasms of many localities, even in the 
oldest, settled Eastern States, now give 
rise. Not only are the diseases of mala¬ 
rial origin peculiarly distressing, danger¬ 
ous, and obstinate in themselves, but they 
are liable to have the most serious effect's 
upon the vital organs, and to induce other 
grave disorders. For all the diseases 
caused by Malaria 
Is afforded by Ayer’s Agee Cere, the Chills and Fever, Dumb Ague, Fever 
most potent medicine for eradicating mlas- nud Ague, Chagres Fever, and all 
matte poison from the system, and at the Intermittent and Remittent Malarial 
same time the only one that is not harmful. Fevers, and is certain to do so in everv 
Other preparations for the treatment of case where the directions for its adrninis- 
.M alarm l levers contain quinine and miucru! tration arc followed. All the preparations 
poisons. Ayers Agee Cere does not, of Dr. J. C. Ayer A Co. have long since 
and its use entails none of the evil eonso- won the regard of the medical profession 
quenco mevitaolv following the taking of and the public as standard pharmaeeu- 
those substances in quantities sufficient to tleal compounds and arc known to he as 
obtain any efleet. Qultlinistn—the condi- nearly specifics for the several maladies 
tion produced by argo doses of quinine— to the cure of which they are designed 
is scarcely less to he dreaded than Malaria ns is possible for any medicines. Rut. for 
itself. Avers Ague Cere is the only the Am k Cere ibis confidently claimed 
compound that cures Swamp Fever, that it is an absolute specific, and a cure is 
WARRANTED IN EVERY CASE. 
All dealers in medicines are instructed to refund to purchasers the money paid for 
Av er s Agek c ere wherever used as directed without effecting tv cure. 
Ayer’s Agee CURE is not less vain- Dr. W. Armstrong, of Toronto, nays: 
alile ns a prophylactic than as a remedy. “ Ayer’s Agee Cere. is the onlv tne'di- 
.stnall doses of it. morning and evening, cine in existence which may be consid- 
will certainly prevent, malarial attacks, eivd an nbsoluto antidote for Fever and 
even in districts rife with miasmatic Ague and kindred diseases, ft affords 
poison. F veil where \ el low Fever has immediate relief, and eradicates the ma- 
been epidemic. AYER s Ague Cere has la rial poison without leaving anv ener- 
proved a safeguard against that malady. vating or injurious effect.” 
THE SUNDEW. 
# axy queer forms of vegetation 
are to be found in the vegetable 
kingdom that excite both our 
wonder and admiration, and 
prominent among them is this 
little group of plants, that are 
commonly called Sundews. 
They' are found upon the sands 
of the sea-shore, along tho bor¬ 
ders of our Northern lake, 
and hidden away in the marshes and bogs 
from Canada to Florida. 
This family cousdsts, in the United States, of 
ono-half dozen species, but the one that chiefly 
demands our attention, and that is the com¬ 
monest of all, is the Rouud-loavcd Sundew 
(Drosera rotundifolia). This little plant, which 
is found in various localities all tho way from 
Canada to Florida, is only' several inches high 
and may be found in muddy, boggy places, 
its leaves are about an inch long, roundish in 
form, and lie flattened out upon the ground^ 
or slightly raised above its surface. 
Upon the upper surface is situated a large 
number of little hairs or tentacles, upon the 
tips of which are minute glands that exude a 
gelatinous, sticky matter that shines in the 
sunlight like dew, which gave to this plant 
the name of Sundew. 
Now the remarkable thing about this plant 
is, that it feeds upou insects to a great extent, 
and it is for this reason known among scien¬ 
tific men as an “insectivorous plant” The 
insects, which are generally’ small flies, are 
attracted to this little plant by the substance 
exuded from the glands, which is sweetish to 
the taste. Alighting upon it, the fly is held by 
the viscid substance, while the leaf imme¬ 
diately begins to curl up. the outer edges curL 
ing over toward the center, and the glandular 
hairs all fastening upou the victim, the hairs 
nearest the object being first attracted toward 
it, and they communicating the impulse to the 
outer ones, so that in the course of from one to 
five hours all of the hairs arc closely covering 
the object, with the glands fastened to it, 
engaged in absorbing and digesting the nutri¬ 
tive material found in it. 
This secretion com ng from the glands, is 
clear and colorless, and so sticky that it will 
stretch out into long threads. It possesses an 
alkaline property' similar to that of the gastric 
juice of animals, so that it has the power 
of dissolving cartilage and even the softer 
parts of bone. 
Although this plant will alway's seize upon 
organic matter and devour the nutritious part, 
all substance of an inorganic character, such 
as glass, chalk, sione, and metallic substances, 
will be rejoctod, the highly sensitive glandular 
hairs making little or no move toward the ob¬ 
ject placed upon the leaf. 
The hairs upon the outer edge of tho leaf are 
much longer than those in the center, which are 
very short and incapable of scarcely any mo¬ 
tion at all. Tho average number of hairs or 
tentacles upon 31 leaves was found to be 102. 
Darwin, tho emineut English scientist that 
died not long ago. had very thoroughly investi¬ 
gated the habits of this wonderful plant, which 
he gives in great detail in his work upon 
“ Insectivorous Plants.” 
By careful experimenting he found that the 
nervous system, if we may so term it, was equal 
if not superior to that of animals. A minute 
section of human hair, so small that if placed 
upon the tonguo would be undetected, weighing 
1-78,740 of a grain, and this largely supported 
by the viscid secretion, will cause a movement 
of the leaf hairs. The leaves and hairs are also 
affected if placed in solutions of various kinds. 
In water of 50 dogrees temperature, the ten¬ 
tacles or hairs are excited to quick movement! 
while if placed in water of 54 degrees’ tempera¬ 
ture, it paralyzes without killing them. A leaf 
placed in water containing ammonia salts so 
weak that each gland could only absorb 
1-10,000,000 of a gram, would cause the tenta¬ 
cles to close over the leaf. Darwin fed his 
I v'ould state for the especial benefit of our 
new readers that this department is de¬ 
voted to the interests of the y'oung people on 
the farm. Its aim is to interest the children 
in the welfare of the farm, and to stimulate 
them to a better acquaintance with the many' 
important details of farm life, and, in partic" 
ular to that branch of farming known as hor¬ 
ticulture. For thispurpo.se a Youths’ Horti¬ 
cultural Club has been established, which at 
present numbers several hundred members. 
Several times a year the club engages in w hat 
are called its Discussions. A subject is an¬ 
nounced by Undo Mark, who conducts this 
department, which the Cousins write upon 
and which are in tirno published in the num¬ 
ber devoted to the discussion. 
By merely sendiug in their names, children 
of subscribers may’ become members of the 
Club. To its members, every Spring are sent 
free gifts of choice flower or garden seeds, 
the results of the growth of which are sent 
to Unde Mark. 
Differing as it does from the Youths’ De¬ 
partment of any other paper published, it is 
our earnest endeavor with the aid of its mem¬ 
bers to make it far more interesting and 
instructive than the similar department of 
any other journal. Uncle Mark. 
>um >c in every household m miasmatic districts; in the outfit of everv traveler 
and sportsman; in the trunk <>f every'summer boarder in the rural districts; 
m the medicine chest of every’ vessel liable to touch at malarious ports. 
Remember that it is a medicine which never fails. 
PREPARED 15 Y 
Dr. J. C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Mass. 
•old by all Druggists aud Dealers in Medicines. Price $1; six bottles $5. 
AYER’S PILLS, 
The Best Cathartic Known to Medical Science 
Not only promptly, thoroughly, and easily relieve the bowels, but restore to 
and reinvigorate the liver. They perfectly and permanently euro Indiges 
diseases proceeding from those causes. They are tho only Cathartic mediei 
a costive reaction, and, consequently, to require increasing doses for eontin 
Pills taken daily after dinner, will ho a safeguard against all intestinal irre 
stimulate the digestive functions better titan any other medicine 
my health. — John LaZares, St. .Johns, 
-A. U, 
“Avkr’s Pi i.ls have cured me entirely.” 
-Mrs. Mary A. Scott, Portland, Me. 
AVCP’Q Dll I O PMDrn Mrs * r - Pkckerton, Oermanto 
irtie.”—M. ^ nLLb ^UKtU Uver Complaint; cured Mrs. 
Lank, Kendall's Mills, Me., of Tic-douLpureux; cured Miss Fergus 
d.”— P. R. ( ' a '' o{ Erysipelas; cured S. M. Spencer, Syracuse, X. Y., of Ith< 
cured Mildred O. G. Dana, Pittsburg, Pa., of Gout. 
the popular appreciation of the value of Ayer’s Pills, as the most ] 
nstantly increased, and thousands of voluntary testimonials of their cflicj 
is no country on the globe where they are not in great and ever growing d< 
PREPARED 15Y 
DR. J. C. AYER & CO., [Analytical Chemists] LOWELL, MASS 
Sold by all Druggist#. 
