VENUS' FLY TRAP.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 135, 21 January 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

VENUS' FLY TRAP.

A WONDERFUL PLANT. ■ An article which appeared recent I'M describing Professor liose's oxpci i-J ments proving that plants !"H system will in some >H prepare readers for the no less able pronouncements of Mr. on in his book entitled "The WH Side of P'ants," published in New York. "Piants no longer arc lifeless thinglabelled and grouped under ponderous Latin tules," says the foreword to thte astonishing book. "They are highly developed organisms, which see, hear, taste, feel, walk, swim, run, fly, jump, skip, hop. roll, tumble, set traps, and catch tish; decorate themselves that they may attract attV**t on; powdci their faces; imitate birus, animals, ser pents, stones; ply hide-and-seek; hloS' i,om underground; protect their chil dren and send them forth into tin world prepared to care for themselves —indeed do all those things wiiic, wo ourselves do! We know noiv that plants have even minds and souls with which to think and worshp." PLANTS THAT SET THAI'S. " Do plants really set traps and eaten fish!'" Mr. Dixon quotes an inquirer as asking. "Isn't that merely a figure?'' They actually do all these astonishing things, and in proof Mr. Dixon cites the familiar case of the plant known as Venus' fly-trap. This plant, as is well known, spreads its leaves out along the ground, each leaf tipped with a tempting bit of honey. The unsuspecting insect comes eagerly to drink of the nectar; he steps on one of the sensitive nerve-haio; the leaf trap snaps shut, and the plant devours its meat at le.vsure, first soaking it with a sticky digestive fluid. When the insect has been entirely absorbed the leaf opens agaiii and carefully resets its trap. To support his theory that th's action is induced by just sucii a process as attends the human trapper's planning and methods, Mr. Dixon describes the experiences of an American woman. Mrs. Treat, "who proved conclusively," belays, that the leaves of the plant actue.hy were conscious of the nearness of insects, even when there was no contact between the plant and the body of the insect. This was demonstrated by pinning a live fly half an inch from a leaf of sundew, whereupon the leaf moved 'itself within the succeeding two hours near enough to fasten its tentacles about the insect. FLORAL ATHLETES.. He thus describes the action of one of those plants which have developed athletic prowess in order to scatter their seeds: — The oxalis holds its seed pods erect, daring anyone to touch them. If one does, away shoot the seeds to a new home, where they will germinate and grow as new plants. Tins is their only method of getting away from home. If they did not shoot out into the world they would continue to sow their seeds in the same place until they would crowd each other out.