The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-07-19

SOME woNDrnr1rr, woRNs

Comcsncil, Texas.-Dear IIaphammer:
our our cones; has closed and our colQrs ar
chosen. We have had an exciting as
wcll as a, beneficial contest There is one
thing we have not studied yet. How rnany
of you ever thought Of the importance of
worms Somnh :, If you eyer thought Of it YOU
worms that are very important. ana
some that are very destructive There
are worms that I'VE on land and worms
mat live in the sea. Worms that live In
the sea are generally destructive The
coral worm Of which you have all heard
is very destructive. sagcs Of antiquity
were never agreed as to their opin ons
repeating the nature of the coral. some
mairlalnng that N was vegetable. others
INSERT e that II WAS mineral In 100
Pyssonnel demonstrated that all the old
Wscacres wore wrong and that coral Is
the direct result of a polyp (many foo'eh
arimal which builds * fairy gr ,iofs
by sncretng calcarsous mutter. Thcst
singular creatu 'os bear no small rescrl-
bluncc to other f7wory animals aud arc
so;netir es mistaken frr sea flowers. Tho
yrorioal districts of the l'ac'f ocean par
ticularly abound with prrdgious guam l.
-ios of coral, which have become ver,ahc
palaces II the sea as GORGEOUS az ever
fairy raised IN the creative mind Of youth
Here IS pece Of p9riry written abon'
ty.
Plants Of fhro .nne as silk worms, thread
Yea, brau'iful rs mermaiis' golden hair,
Upon the waves dispread.
Others that like the broad banana grow
ing,
Raised their long. wrinkled leaves OF pur-
pie hue,
Like streamcrs nude outflowing.
Trees of the deep and shrubs and fruits
ard flowers.
As fair as ours.
Where with the stanymps love their backs
When Z to tfe!r fathers hall at festival
Re- hay in fggtlA nj array
Their charms display,
TO grace the banquoi and tho solemn day.
Now. Haps, isn't q pretty and 'sn't INC
coral worm interest ms" But ! have told
you nothing Of whai J hav' rem OF thcr
building islands. This -" ls Impossible.
DOESN'T n? Yet l. l. true mat coral worm
do h,Ild Stands Cham $50. lsarntd
inyosr gator, has given us III" result Of hi-
observatiors among the coral. lite say
alat after n reef h1s been construct Ell
il would probably romaln ;hat way. hu
below the lin, the coral have traced Is
continuous s.ony mass composer OF Shells
and mn,lacs and frasnen's or eofhi con
mons that the heat of the sun pHh" rates
lhis calcarenus mass when II il diy ana
causes II 10 crack open. ne WaV9s lheii
M into blocks of from four to iive feet IN
longth which arr piled On ihn reef TAhs
t h" reef is crested By these aecpmuialons
unlil the waves can wash oyer II NJ
longer. Tho calcnrcous sands which IN
.,ru,,n,, late offer the seeds which ar
brought here 10y he worms 4 sail 70 groW
ooycrs i with iuNuriant growth. Who'd.
trunks of trees are transported and nero
mud a resting place, Next small animals
such as lt2gards or insects, are conveyed
Nv some lrros s hie means 20 the ARTIFICIAL
island and thus become the ilrt in'iabii-
tanis Of the reefs. Even before the wpods
grow deIisa sea BIRDS hu;ll their nes's II
the copses and nrally long after she
nduntr!ons and patient coral builders
have completed their work man appear
g. ynu $40 what great things can b. done
by such small worms. perhaps scme OF
!, on Haps live on coral leland, or per
maps you have seen, one II you hAye
than can. Let's write some on mis- sun
ient while we watt for the lfaph INNER to
decide cur next contest. your lrnnu'