Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-09-07
NATIONAL lNsTITUTE.--Th National
lntelligencer publishes the following letter
communicated to the National Institutes:
The Polar Plant of the Western Prairies.
s A VEGETABLE COMPASS.
WAsHINGTON, Augusl 9. lS4

WAsHINGToN, August 9, 1912.
Dear Sir:-ln offering through you, to
the National Institution, dry pressed
specimen Of the Polar Plant Of the YES
tern Pratries, it is proper that | should
give description of ii, and its location
1t is a species Of fern, with one large flat
leaf, whose plane dIcays points, to The north
and south. The leaf is symmetricaIIy
disposed abou: the stalk. 1t attains the
height OF from ten TO sixteen inches, and
i is believed that it never blossoms. 1t is
spread protusely in large beds over all the
Western prairies, from the far northwest
the prairies Of Wisconsin and other re-
gions east Of the Mississippi. 1t is never
found in the forest; or, in other words, out
OF the prairles. 1t has been well known
10 the hunters and trappers Of the West,
and to the officers of dragons; but | be-
leve that its existence has never Cat least
extensively been made known to the world.
It's plane is always IN the plane of the me-
ridan, when not disturbed by high winds
or other external causes. The indications
are always most accurate IN the valleys,
where the beds are sheltered from the
winds, and where the traveller finds them
arranged in parallel positions, faithfully
pointing out the direction Of the meridian.
The leaf is symmetrical, and thus there is
nothing in its indications TO distinguish the
! north from the south.
The specimen which send was plucked
from the praircs near Fort Gibson, west of
| Arkansas.
That its indications are actually the
same wherever found, is the universal tes-
;imony of all who have known Of it, and
have met many who have known OF it; and
| have met many who have noticed it from
south Of Fort Towsor to considerable
distance north Of Fort Lcavenwortn. In
many instances those who spoke Of it de-
rived their first ntmal!on Of its existence
from that excellent officer and capital
woodsman, Captain Nathan Boone, OF Isl
regiment U. S. Dragons, son Of The ce!e-
bratcd Daniel Boone.
The cause Of the polarity Of this curious
plant yet remains to be discovered. Be-
lag symmetrical in shape. or rather the
weight being equally distributed about the
stem, it is possible that its sap or fibre is so
thoroughly impregnated with certain salts
of Iron, as to be deviatcd, from the period
OF rs infant grown by the action OF Inc
magnetism of the earth, turning like Il
compass needle on its strm or root a
pivot. That it is not caused by the action
OF light would seem probable from analo-
gy' as VeSe'ao'eS ac'ec upon by l'ght are
ho'cu Tor turning lheir leaves or blossoms
-
towards the sun instead OF iiom IT, ~
mId-day INC pane ci the polar plant pas
SeS 'n[ou6" 'hc sun ana mus 1t shoos ''t
Ign, l nave ""t'cGo !. III 'ol'S con''"ueo
"e"'"er' III" cou'u iiHu no a''c'"'IoH III us
PoSi'oi'
AS me existence OF inc torpedo ana 'he
cIcctflcaI eel cNhioIt the lnHuence "i eiec-
trIcity on amman me- inns Piah' Is very M
tcrcs'ng as showing ITS probable connec-
tion also with vegetable lite; thus furnish
n8 INK 10 supply the cham OF gfada-
'lon, IL IS wen known mat mere are ma
, ny distinguishes ha'ufa'lSlS ana professors
OF PhySIoIogy VINO would go hIShcr stIiI'
even 10 Tue human frame, ana predIct the
llha' discovery OF inc ln'Ima'e connection
between electricity ana me operation OF inc
nervous system Any iactcohnected win
the action OF electricity or magnetism sup
posed 10 De one ana ihe same agent Is
now eSPec'a''y 'h'eres!lng' wheh mere are
SO many ingenious minds throughout the
world devoted to SUCH Investigations.
have aScertaned to my satisfaction
that this plant has been we'll known to
trappers and to many OF the Indian tribes,
and that they have been IN the habit of
awaiting themselves in their tours over
those vast tracts of this humble but omni-
present guide, which kind Providence
has sprinkcd over that region, and which
is thus available in cloudy weather, when
the sun and stars are denied them. Even
it is granted that it is less needed by the