The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-10-01

hhOOhOI VI tlltse savage cdfnlVOrOuS
plants is called the sSun Dew" which
grows In our marshes. 1t garnishes its
leaves with rubies, and tips every point
with beautiful diamond The beams
| OF the morning sun kisses it as the eotlr-
tier presses his lips to the ieweled hand
OF his lady love- All this artistic display
is made to tempt the victim to certain
death. Around the rubies and diamonds
there is colorless glue The moment
the feet OF wings of any insect touch this
substance the fate is death. Their vain
struggles only bind them the tighter.
The leaf now closes upon them and the
prlckly points pierce their bodies like
the fangs of tigers or the talons of an
eagle.
But the great destroyer is the pitcher
plant. Nowhere can there be found
such death-dealing instrument, or one
more lngeniOusly fitted for its work.
The leaves form into tubes, at the bot
tom of which there are the secret pools
OF death. Into these the unfortunate
victims are hurled. Once down thev are
lost. But if by chance some insect more
resolute and stronger than his fellows
makes his way up the inside of the tube
"a part of which is smooth-and he
may think he is about to gain his liberty,
the illusion is soon dispelled The pris-
oner is met with a perfect cherdu-de-
trieze-firm sharp hairs bar his progress
and he can only fall back to his final ex-
ecution. The machinery of these plants
is perfect-no human agency can surpass
it. They do their work like thinking
beings. They require no teaching.
There is an intelligent, vitalizing and
al rs 49,, +h;,,o.,. s''ie'
We oo,,,,o+ 49, f,i,, AZ, ..e,a
500 ;e onlI, tbo atsac+ I -. IT, :; O., =
reasonable to - that tb, ~ - tn1 inu,1
Iicenea beb;nd Ia and In noottor eh n Tla -
tellioence shoyv,, ~ S,,Isnts ..a,,,s+ he a.
MED Indeed thara is nc, asnay'o' D frs,,,,
the conclusion that rho san,e 1nan;fasta :
tions of mind are observed in the three
cases we have cited in plants as are seen
in many animal organizations
" = see no good reason whyswe should
not claim intelligence f0nahinals. There
are large numbers of quadrupeds and
bipeds that more show intellect in some
directions than IS shown IN the lower
orders OF those beings VINO closely re-
sempie tne human Iorm.
froDaDiy ANIMALS show more inteill-
gence IN puliulng, rearing ana taxing
care OF tile mouse IN Which tney I'VE tnan
i.,1 ~ any VCiier Way. Neariy All DiIus .lI US
DuiiG nesss' lhere are Two excepuons
70 .his rue, however, the CUCKOO q, ana tne
compiiI, eney Jay .neir eggs IN slle, neses
ntSac ntsuc ny o.,ien 2 Di.Ss; anu eney 3uner
oonel plrus 70 rear .neal Young, Mlllcn IS
tro oro'i WY uriai. uPon 'ie par. u ma
t;,, 80 l,.sy - &c 60, H:.1iSy ' .al
W., ~ fnod = soaUo od ~ io OtG I;,tn,soc 1oe,
frone +bo Lo st % anJ % uha " Ing She LIE me-
1;ttIa o~Db rI 1,sh;,ds , Va" addad ~ ho nv
~ G n ha 49, 20 " d ,, nsta,,
Sbs % IL bamdicon,ad @ @ I - bv tho ohsonca @ 'e, nf
aar bar hnshand Mb" i otf % ,nroho ,.IV hI,1 on %
mns;caI mn @ D nartv With & Some otber ssfe1lows;; wv "
nr ] Il Toa1 IN. ho = tbat ~, moor Mrs Robin is
widow W. her n .nste % bay;nc baen shot bW
some beartless hunter
The vario,1s and necnliar acts Of birds
show instinct Of the hiobest oualitvW