New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-27

VFGEr,TION IN THE SnEEP-RAIsING Portions OF
South AFMCA.-It appears from an article in me
Journal of the LipncGn Society that the introduction
of sheep into South Africa has effected great changes
in the vegetation of the sheepraisng portion OF That
rea1ou Besides the naturalization Of the cookie
burr (XGRthiHm SPiROSHRl, which mas spread so cA-
tonsiveiy that only special laws and the ngd en-
forccnent of penalties have kept 1t from proving the
ruin Of the wool producers. the native grasses nave
guccumbcd 10 close cropping, and only Ghrubby
plants remain a. the clief resource OF the flocks
Is a consequence the rainfall said to have become
less certain and to take frequently the form OF
thunder-tOrrens, ard the perennial springs are be-
coming every year less coplons Favored DV thPsc
CHANCES and protected by their bite or poisonous
qualities from the sheep, several OF the more hafdY
plants of the adjoining hal'-deS TT region are gfdo
ally encroIchlug upon tAe feeding grounds, ana III
some have taken possession OF largo districts.
DR. HOOKER ONlCARNIvOEOUs PLANTS.-Dr. j. ID.
Rockers recent address to the Department of
Zoology and Botany OF the British Association,
gives the result of his study of the clrnivor0us
habits of the Nepenthes the pitcher plants OF tho
East Indies, and supplements what was already
known of like habits in DoEe1 SGrrdcenid DroSerd
DrrIpgfon!a and PiRgaiclId. lie states that the rim
Of the pitcher and the under side OF the lid, always
more ighly coored than the rest OF the plant are
provided with numerous hnney-secretlng glands
while the surface Immediately below IS covered with
glass-liic cuticle which affords no foothold 10 III
secs Tie entire lower portion Of the cavity ~ &C.
cuuiei by innumcrablc spherical glands which Sc
crete fluid that is always acid and Is found In the
Litchcr before the opening OF the nj. The digestive
powers Of this ilnid were tested III various ways
often with surprising results Fragments OF meat
were rapidly reduced, aud pieces OF hhrin weighing
several grains dissolved aud totally disappeared III
two or three DAYS Jumps Of cartilage weighing eI2it
10 ten grains half gelatiuized IN p hours, aud
III three days were greatly diminished ana reduced
to a clear transparent jelly. The experiments
make it probable that these results are not wholly
due TO the original fluid, but that after the addition
of ,hc ann: matter aub.t lance acting rs ptl:lle
is produced by change in the process Of secretion
Dr Hooker shows Che anaog, which exists between
this mode Of plaut-nutri.lon and tie more ordinary
one If tie embryo in the net OF gc1nLaion. and OF
some co}oress plants which live by th" absorption
of thc elaborated juices Of Others. dc also very
briefly Indicates how the highly specialized organs
and strange habits of these plants NAV be cone wed
10 have arisen by tho process OF natural selection
from ordinary lcafst.uc,Ures aud from processes
which are common in the vegetable world. The
fact may at least be accepted a proving chat the
urotoplism Of plants avail Itself of the same
food with that of animasthus serving as one more
ink in the continuity of nature,