The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-12-03
A WONDERFUL PLANT.

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A Form TIA, Is Fed on cosm,e Dust-Yeu
md startling Theory Of Vegetation.
On a train between Rochester and
Syracuse 1 happened to occupy a seat
with a middle-aged gentleman, who
carried a small hower-pot containing a
little plant, for whose safety he seemed
extremely solicitous. During the first
half of the journey there was but scant
conversation between us, but, as I am
interested in botany; I began To. look
more closely at my fellow-traveler's
plant, and finally became quite alb
sorbed in it. It was d species of fern
with which I was wholly unacquainted.
MAY 1 ask what kind of fern that is,
and where it growsP" Inquired atlast.
THAT is more than 1 can tell you,"
he replied, ''but I venture to say there
is ne other like it in the world"
Naturally, 1 became curious, and
asked questions. The following is a
synopsis of his replies.
~ was for years in the employ of the
Hudson Bay Company, and spent the
hest part of MY life among ice and saw
ages in the cold regions of British
America. had often noticed that the
snow and ice in some localities were
covered with a grayish-black powder,
but paid nc attention to it till I read an
account of an Arctic expedition, in
! which the writer stated that such pow
der was cosmic dust, sifted down
through the atmosphere from space,
| which is said to be more or less filed
with it.
"As soon as 1 read this statement it
struck me that it would be a good plan
to collect some of the dust and see
whether anything would grow in it.
So l began to carry u bottle, into which
1 put the powder whenever I found
any. In a few years 1 succeeded in
collecting quite a quantity, about as
much as you see here"-and he held
| the tiower-pot toward me; it was about
| one-third full-"and l became very
much interested in my cosmic treasure,
wondering whether, if any of our
plants should grow in it, they would
take the same shape as when nourished
by their native soil.
EAT this TIME I was called to England
i III COIICCblOu Will b1C OolllCo VA "
company, and, planting a pea in the
celestial mold. 1 locked it up in a large
wooden box. There it remained undis'
turbed until my return, a little more
than a year. / confess I opened the
box again with a good deal of curiosity,
and was both astonished and delighted
to see that the pea had developed into
a fern. as I supposed, for this plant was
then about one inch in height. I at
tended it very carefully for about two
months, but it did not seem to grow
One day 1 stirred up the dust Git hat
hitherto been undisturbed), and to my
extreme establishment brought to ligh'
the pea l had planted, as dry and un
sprouted as though it had been buriet
in dry sand. 1 examined the pea care
fully. 1t was wholly unaffected, ant
the fern must have had some othel
origin. There is no doubt about that
"Have you any idea how it originated
thereP" I asked.
well, yes; I am confident the sect
came with the dust from some othe
world"
In answer to my look of amazement
and it may be, incredulity. he con
tinued:
1T was certainly not planted in thi
pot in any shape. And how could
fern root or q fern seed have become
mixed with the dust at the top of thicl
snow or ice? That was impossible
Neither could it get into the bottle il
which l kept it until emptied into Chi
pot, which was brand new. And now
if cosmic dust can settle upon the earth
which l believe scientists regard as
fact, is there anything unreasonable i
supposing that a light plant seed ca
do the samep"
Your logic seems good, but I mus
confess that on first thoughty you theor
appears fanciful."
ION the first thought it would ur
doubtedly seem so, but not on the hur
dredth, perhaps. I have studied TIL
matter in all directions, and l hav
come to the conclusion that some of til
varieties of our plants have had jul
such an origin as I claim for this ferr
and it may be that the same is true
some of our animal species. PerhaI
the beginning of all life on earth ha
such an origin, perhaps life from tn:
earth has been waited to neighbc
planets a. well.
"NOW another cOnnrmatlOn Oh m
theory as regards this particular pla1
: is that no n has ever seen one like
) No botanist that l ever consulted hi
!. been able to classify it. Since l becan
interested in the subject / have exam
ined many kinds of fern, but nevt
came across one that resembled this.
, How long has it been growingp"
) Ten years. 1t grows very slow
! and does not thrive on water. At tt
l suggestion of a friend, I have trie
> sprinkling it with diluted ammoni
I which seems to agree with it."
At this point we came, as 1 though
> very suddenly to my destination, an
as 1 left the car, I asked the strang,
!. to give me his name. He replied tn
it was Tarleton or Carleton, I cou
j not distinguish which, and he said
r was on his way to England.-Syracu
g ror NJ v no,,,o,orojnI A17,o,.f;oor