Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-08-28

grape, the tendril will gradually wind itself
around the stick or twig forming the above
mentioned spiral. The tendril does this bv
means of sensitive cOntractiie hbres lslmllar
to those of the sensitive plant) that u con-
tains. Now If the fibres Of the tendril were
uniform In sensitiyeness and contIactiIe e
energy the end of the tendril would be
brought squsrely and not spirally around the
twig, but the fibres on the right hand side oil
this face of the tendril being the stronger. the
end of the tendril Is wrapped around Inc
twig IN q spiral-the stronger right hand hbres
in their contraction. ~ont-pulling the weaker
lett hand fbres. As all this is reversed on
the south side of the equator 1t is plain to my
mind that Nature sccomplishes this beautiful
ARRANGEMENT Of machinery BY a process Is
simple as that by which she brings about q
difference In the two seeds of the cookie burr
1t Is also well sscerisined hat In q still
atmosphere 80 no wind or air current Will az
feet the plant, the terminal portions Of climb
ing plants make a regular revolution, descrlD'
ing q circle or oval about II or IL inches IN
diameter about once In IS hours; Wnat II
this but q search for an object to cling to!
The runner Of q thrifty pumpkin vine may
often be seen on the ground with its grow
ing extremity elevated two or three inches IL
height. If two forks be placed In the ground
on each tide Of 1t and q pole be placed on them
so as to be over the end OF the vine and aooul
3 feet above It. the vine will rear up Its enc
IL or 10 Inches Ms IL tuuChvOA lux w hSoSA sAS
pole. II these be removed and . piece Oh
board be placed In the ground on one side OF
the end Of the vine and about Is inches from
it, the vine will turn to the board; II 1t be
q ow placed on the other side OF It, II VIII
turn In the opposite direction as If seeking
the board. Since this plant possesses such
keen perceptive instincts are we not wrong
in using the term"pumpkin-hesd" express
the idea of stupidity
The process of domesticatiOn has q tenden-
cy to repress and even to obliterate the
instincts of an animal. Every one Is struck
with the contrast presented by our domestic
animals and the same animals In their wild
state. By caring for them, they. In the
course of time, seem incapable OF taking
care of themselves; some OF them, however,
re-acQuire these instincts, Of which domestl
cation has deprived them. with great facility.
The hog is perhaps the best example OF this:
I have seen hogs that have .'gone wild"
show all the keen iinstincts displayed by the
wild boar Of Central Europe. Now wniie
instinct is usually . safe and unerrlng gulde,
it is not invariably so, and when enfeebled
BY domesticatlon 1t often leads its possess0r
into disastrous blunders. A striking analogy
to this is met with in plants. We have cared
for the apple, the pear. the plum and the
grape to such an extent that we have enfee-
bled their native instincts. SO that often when
we have q warm and wet fall with much
spring. like weather, these trees are badly de-
ceiyed and are beguiled into blooming and
even setting q second crop OF fruit just before
winter sets In. 1 challenge anyone to pro-
duce a similar blunder with the oak. the
elm or the hickory. Their keen and sturdy
instincts are IS perfect as those Of the lion,
the tiger or the wild elephant.
These are q lew of the more striking facts
that have let me to recognize and to assert a
claim for instinct with plants. 1t may be
that they are not as convincing to the minds
OF, others. as they have been to my Own.and 1t
may be commended that am not happy in
choosing the term instinct, with which to
designate it,. This last may be true and i
would willingly accept q more appropriate
term il such an one be selected. but l am
thoroughly satisfied that plants possess q
principle, u faculty, q somsthing that guides,
protects and defends them rs instinct does
with animals.