The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-09-28
Plants That Eat Flesh.

DR.. Darwin has Iecently published
work on 'Insectivoreous Plants" He has
been experimenting especially with
Droseras, and it is thought has settled
some mooted points.
His observations Lave been mainly
made on d. rOtundjGfoLiG. Some have
cOntended the glandular hairs, which
undoubtedly lean IN toward a captured
insGct, are simply drawn in there by the
struggles of the captive. Mr.. Darwin
proves this to be wrong. The slightest
touch Of a gland, even by a substance
so minute that the finest sense of touch
In the human being failed to find it,wOuld
be sufficient to draw the surrounding
glands toward the disturbed one. Water
does not disturb it, but other isanimate
substances will Fine dust from pow
dered glass will produce the motion.
Mr.. Darwin, however, finds no motion IN
any part of the leaf but the glands and
connecting hairs, and In this respect
fails to corrobOrate Mrs Treats cot
Vineland) observations She found the
Leaf of DrOSera. .tLiforHis turn from side
to side according as animal matter was
placed, on either side; but the Doctor
doubtless experimental with another
species Of the plant.
question of digestion in these plants.
That the animal matter rapidly disap-
pears after being caught by the leaves
is set clearly at rest Ey the observation
of Candy aud others that it is quite clear
that this destruction is by a process sim
liar to digestion. Mr.. Darwin has
called in chemical aid, and finds the de-
composing power similar in all its phe
noEleaa to that OF digestion; and he
does net hesitote TO say that they are the
same. IF, now, only organs can be
found, as in animals, through which the
digested material is carried into the sys-
TEN for nutritive purposes, the evidence
would be complete. Leaving out, how
ever, all consideration as to how these
observations OF MIR. Darwin's will help
certain theories, the long and patient
Investigations which have resulted In
this work entitle the author to the graft
tude of lovers Of science, who always
welcome facts of every kind.
That the Dionee and other insect
catching plants have the power OF intro
due ng rapid decay in their captIves Is
fully proved; but that these are digested,
as we would say if the plants were an
imals, is not proved to the satisfaction
of all naturalists. Observations on this
point are therefore still going on. Prof.
Balfour, of Edinburg, has recently no.
ted some which he thinks favor the
affirmative. A piece of meat placed on
the leaf of another plant became putrid
and offensive; another piece on leaf of
a DiOn9l seemed to dry up and was
always inodorous This is a strong
point Then Dr. Balfour observed that
plants kept under bell glasses, and by
inference free frOmiinsects, did not thrive
so well as those left free to catch insects
to their hearts content. But this would
not be regarded as so good point as the
last, as plants confined under glasses
would not be expected to thrive 50 we'll
as plants exposed to the atmosphere.
An English gardener who is cultivating
Pinguiculas is bothered to know if
MIR Darwin's idea that this plant Is an
| insect-eater is correct, why the plant
does not feed on the Aphides which ino
/ fest it Mr.. Darwin is Of all men one
of the most carefully correct in his
facts, whatever may be said of his deduc-
tions, and it would be strange if he
should be found wrong in regard to Pin
guicuIa. Still it cannot be denied that
it is infested with Aphides.