The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-21

surniih better illuitrations Of this ackrowicdc-
ed power of animali.y and l ihall briefly re-
cite the hiaory of { very curious exotic, winch
has been delivered TO us from good Authority !;
and confirmed by the obferyations of icvcral l.u-
ropean botanihs.
The Dion@a Meicinula is native OF North
Carolina. Its leaves are numerous, inclnns
to bend downwards, and placed in circular
order they. are jointeSi, and fucculent the
upper Joint coniifts Of two lobes, each OF which
is feni.oval in its form with 4 margin furniihed
with Tiff hairs, which embraces each other,
when they clofe from any imitation. The fur
faces of thoie lobes are covered with fmaG RED
glands, which probably fecrete fome fweet IL
ouor, tempting 20 the tatte, but fatal to the
lives ofinie1s for, the moment the poor a.
nimal alights upon thefe parts, the two lobes
rife up, grafp it forcibly, lock the rows of
fpines together, and fqueeze it to death and,
left the frugges for life fkould difengage the in
feet, thus entangled, three fma fpines are fix
| ed among!t the glands, near the middle of each
lobe, which effeetually put an end to all its eff
forts; nor do the lObes open again, while the
dead animal continues there. The diGo'ution
of its fubftance, therefore, is fuppofed, by na-
turaliits, to conititute part of the nourin.,nent
! of the plant. But rs the difcrminative power
Of initinSt is always limited, and proceeds with
blind uniformity when put into eXersion, the
plant cloies its leaves as forcbly, if hilnula-
ted by itraw or pin, as by the body of IN
| inicef nor docs it expand them again, till the
| e.traneous iubhance is witt drawn R
Ill. Ii the faGts and obfervations, which
have been adduced, furnih any prcfi,mptive
proof OF the inftinStive power of vegetables, it
will neceiIarily follow, that they mutt be endu-
ed with fome degree of fpontaneity. For the
impufe TO discriminate and to prefer, is an ac-
tual exertion of that principle, however obfcure
the confciounefs or the feeling may be, with
which it is accompanied; and fueh volition
pre-iuppofcs an innate perception, both of
what is consOnant, and of what is injurious to
the contribution of the individual or fpecies di-
reeted by it. But it is the deiign of this little
etiay, rather to inveitigate nature, than to ap-
peal to metaphysical considerations l ihall
proceed, therefore, TO point out few of thofe
phenomena, in the vegetable kingdom, which
indicate fpontaneity.
Several years ago, whit engaged in courie
of experiments to afce,tain the influence of fix
ed air on vegetation, the following fact repeat
ecly occurred TO ne. A fPrig of mint, fui-
pended by the root, with the head downwards,
in the middle gIafs veiIel Of DR.. Newtou's ma.
chine, continued to thrive vigorou(ly, with
| out any other pabulum, than what was filp-
pied by the Rream of mcphitc gas, to which
It was expoied. In twenty four hours the fem
formed into a curve, the head became erect,
| and gradually Attended towards the mouth of
the veiiel ;-thus producing, By fiIcccfiivc eff
| forts, new and mutual CONFORMATION of its
parts. Such exertions in the fprig of mint.
to rectify its inverted petition, and to remove
from foreign, to its natural elsnlent, feems
TO evincc volition TO avoid what was evil. and
to recover what had been experienced TO be
good. If P!antin garden pot, be placed in
b~o -
ii the wall, it will ihoot towards. the hole. naf
throughit into the open air, ard then yreefate
upwards, IN its proper direction. Lord k aims
relates, that" amongtt the ruins of New Alb
hey, formerly mouaitery i'll Galloway, there
grows on the top of wall, plane tree. TWEEN
ty feet high. Straitened for nourifhment. in
that barren dtuation, it ieveral years ago direc.
ted roots down the lide OF the wall, tin thew
reached the ground, ten feet below: and now.
the nourlihment it afforded to thelc roots. dur.
ing the time Of defending, is amply repaid :.
having every year, hnce that time, made yigo-
| rous fhoots. From the top of the wall. To fhe
inrface OF the earth, theie routs have not thrown
out iimple fibre, but are now united into a
pretty thick hard root."t
The regular movements, by which the fun
flower prcients its fpendid dix to the fun. have
been known TO naturalifts, and celebrated
ny poets, both of ancient and modern times.
Ovid POUNDS upon it a beautiful ftorv: and
Thornton defcribes it as an attachment of owe
to the celeitial luminary.
But the lofty follower the fun.
Sad when he fets; lhuts up her yellow leave,
Dropping all night and when he warm returns.
Points her enamour'd bofom to his ray.'
Summer, lines GIG
Nv. Nature has wifey propor,ioned the DOW
erS or motion, to the dverfified neceffities of
the beings endusd with them. Corallines and
Seapens are fixed to fpot, becaufe all their
wants may be there fupplied. The oyaer,
during the afilux of the tide, opens to admit
the water, lying with the hollow fhell down
wards (; but when the ebb commences, if turns
on the other fide thus providing By an incon-
hderaoie movement, for the perception of its
proper nutrimeDt; and afterwards difchareinq
what is Iuperfluous.t Mr.. Miller, in his late
account of the illand of Sumatra, mentions a
iPecies of coral, which the inhabitants have
miitaken for plant, and have denominated IL
Laian-Caut, or fea grais. 1t is found in NAL
low bays, where it appears like ftraght Kick.
but when touched, withdraws itfelf into the
fandf Now, if felf-moving faculties, like
theie, indicate animality, can fuch diftinction
be denied to vegetables, pohefed of them in an
equal, or hyperion degree The water Iily,
be the pond deep or fhallow in which it grows,
puihesu up its flower-ftems, till they reach the