The weekly Butte record., 1861-12-14
0Neeklp &utte Attm0
The Book of Nature

America are universally known as the sleep
ers." Most mimosas fold up their delicate
feathery leaves as night approaches, and when
the sun rises once more, the little sleepy ones
unfold again slowly, as-it were, reluctant, like
some of us, to begin their work anew. 1t has
ever been observed that these so called sensi-
tive plants. when wounded or otherwise suffer
ing, cannot sleep, but keep their leaves open
and eretc all night long, until they perish
Other plants close their leaves during the day,
and awake from their sl1mbers at night, while
a few even drop and clasp themselves around
the stalk as if seeking support in its stength,
whenever the sky is overcast and a storm
threatening
This peculiar faculty of sleep stands in I'M
mediate connection with the general power Of
certain leaves to move either upon coming in
contact with other bodies. or apparently 10
spontaneous motion. All of the above men,
toned mimosas fold up their leaves when meres
ly touched first one little eaflet will be closed
then another, until the whole leaf proper
with its delicate footstalk, droops down and
clasps the stem of the parent. If the plant be
very irritable-the nervousness is here found
to be in proportion to good health-the other
leaves will follow the example until the whole
plant plays, to use Virginia phrase, "pos-
sum-" aud looks for all the world as if it were
asleep. The oxais of this continent requires
several successive strokes to produce the same
effect, aud the robina or locust, which sleeps
at night must be violently shaken. The COM
mon wild lettus also shows great irritability
and curiously enough, only when the plant is
in flower. Upon being touched, the leaves
contract beneath and force out above milky
juice with which they soon become covered
The so called spontaneous movement of
leaves and other plants arise mostly, though
not always, from their general tendency to turn
toward the light. Little is yet known with
accuracy of this interesting feature in the life
of plants. 4 great number of leaves however
alter their position by night aud by day
Some make half some quarter revolution
and then turn their points downward. Others
again fold up in a regular order, the youngest
leaf first as if it required more rest, while the
Oldest are apt to do entirely without it, In
other plants it is the state of the atmosphere
which determines such movements; the bearers
of tie geranium and wild cat curl up in dry
weather, and straighten again in damp days
other plants do the contrary. The hygrome-
trica of South America closes the leaflets of its
pinnated foliage long before the clouds rise,
and thus foretells the impending change of the
weather and the plant known among US as
the hy-trap, is called, in its homes on the warm
plains on the banks of the Senegal, the good
morning flower, because at that season of the
day it gracefully bends over and bows to the
passer-by. On the banks OF the Ganges how
ever, exists a vegetable form so quick Of life as
to resemble some of the minor animals in its
motion.
The leaflets of this singular plant are in
perpetual motion one leahet will rise by
succession of little starts, and then fall in like
manner while one rises another drops, and
thus the motion continues and extends over the
whole foliage. Nor does it cease at night in
fact, it is said to be more vigorous even in the
shade and in the still, hot hours of an Indian
summer night the plant is full of life and nces
SAINT motion. Not less singular is the action
for it is more than moton-of plants like We
nus fy-trap and others. The flowers are
covered with sweet honey, and thus allure
many an unfortunate insect, which has no soon
er touched the sweet store than the plant moves
either the long stiff hairs which grow along
the middle nerve, or closes its crown of gor-
geously covered leaves above, and thus sezes
upon the unlucky robber. We can speak 10
longer Of innocent flowers, for so blood thirsty
are these plants of their favorite deicacies that
they will not thrive in green houses from which
insects are excluded, and gardeners have been
compelled to supply them, strange as it may
sound, LITERALLY with animal food, to see them
thrive and blossom as in their native home.
LABOR is of noble birth, but PRAYER is the
daughter of heaven. Labor has place near
the throne, but prayer touches the golden
sceptre- Labor, Martha-like, is busy with
much serving, bat prayer sits on the mountain
peak, with Moses; prayer scars upward with
oh, - 6 I Al.