Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-05-09

the lager beer saloon is diluted more
or less by the dews and rains, so that
it is not very intoxicating. However,
the drink is intended TO attract the
insect customers and not to poison
them. Patrons crawling into the
pitchers. take a drink, and, without
feeling it go TO their heads very
much, start to walk out again. But,
unfortunately, the whole inside OF
the pitcher is lined with strong hairy
projections, all pointing downward.
and when the victim attempts TO go
upward and out again the hairs OBJ
struct his progress so effectually that
he finally tumbles back into the drink
and is miserably drowned. That Is
the way the vegetable lager beer
saloon captures its customers-by
drowning.
Another fascinating plant now be-
ing propagated at the botanical gar
den is the butcher" which kills the
insects and such things that it feeds
upon by crushing them alive, after
ward consuming them at its leisure.
This is considered to be of all vegeta-
bles the one exhibiting an intelligence
most nearly approaching that which
animals possess. Its appearance is
not impressive save for its peculiarity.
Growing along the ground, it has for
leaves little green things shaped like
open clam shells, the biggest of them
half an inch long, with row Of little
spikes around the edge. As you OBJ
serve the plant most OF the clam shells
will be open, waiting for food-each
of them a greedy mouth ready to
devour anything that may crawl in.
Here comes an ant. Perhaps he will
walk into one Of these pairs of yawn-
ing Jaws Yes, there he goes into the
big one, attracted by the sugary eX-
cretion on the inside of the miniature
clam shell, which serves for bait.
The victim reaches the middle point
between the jaws, and comes Ill con
tact with six microscopic hairs that
grow inside the clam shell leaf, ana
serve the plant as feelers. lmmedl-
ately the jaws close with snap, the
two rows OF spikes folding over the
shut edge Of the clam shell, so as to
give the prey no chance of escape.
If the insect were much bigger ana
stronger than an ant he would be
quickly crushed to death. 1t may be
some hours before the jaws will open
AGAIN. the clam shell leaf being occu-
pied meanwhile in digesing the food
captured. All the leaves of the plant
being engaged continually i'll waiting
for prey, catching it and digesting 1t,
it makes a very good living indeed
where bugs are plentiful. In the
greenhouses there are comparatively
few insects, however, and so the head
gardener feeds his butcher plant from
dav TO dav with such delicacies as
finely chopped or scraped beefsteak
and earthworms cut up, which are
devoured with relish.
The butcher plant is found in North
Carolina. and nowhere else in the
world. Fears are entertained that 1t
will pass out of existence before long,
for there is very little of it existing III
n wild state. and attempts to raise 1t
from seed have not thus far been very
successful. A curious thing about it
is that it will have regular fits of dys-
pepsia, if such indigestibles as salt
pork or the heads OF blue-bOttle flies
are fed to it. The clam shell leaves
will turn black and die after consum-
ing that sort of food. One evidence
of the intelligence of the plant Is
afforded by the judgment it exhibits
in the diet. If piece Of paper just
the size of fly is introduced between
a pair of the little jaws they will close
greedily upon it, but will immediately
open again, the discovery having evil
IDENTITY been made that the capture
was not edible Washington Star.