The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-24

Wonderful Plant at Department OF
Agriculture.
From the Washington Post.

~ ~ AASN ~ NC AO0iAA NO~udy ailg
more remarkable than a specimen of
plant life now in the possessions of the
Department of Agriculture and bask-
ing in the grateful warmth of one of
the greenhouses of the department on
the Mall. This rare and almost price
less curiosity is none other than the
famous kissing PALM" or as scien-
tifically designated, the Palmetto os-
culari," and heretofore believed by
many TO exist only as a myth. That
such belief should obtain, however,
is not to be wondered at when the
marvellous nature of the botanical
specimen is considered and its extreme
rarity taken into account.
The palm derives its name and its
scientific value from it's wonderful in
fiuenee over all persons who come
within given radius of it. This in
nuence, as powerful as the strongest
magnet, insinuating as a perfume. and
as subtle as the very ether. is exerted
upon any and all and finds expression
in an irresistible impulse to indulge in
kissing, and only by fleeing the pres
ence of the plant can the influence be
thrown off. Young men and women,
staid middle-aged persons, prosaic
married couples and aged people,
while in the presence of the palm,
have found themselves enthusiastically,
rapturously, ecstatically kissing their
companion of the opposite sex and re-
ceiving In return lip imprints none the
less saccha rinely blissful
Many of these persons, entirely I'M
aware of the influence exerted upon
them, have marveled greatly at their
unaccustomed actions when once away
from the plant, but in many cases has
the power of the palm been such that
they have found themselves uncon-
sciously straying back to its vicinity
only to find themselves enjoying the
osculatory delights with the Same
abandon as before.
Some kiss with Impartiality.
In a number of cases, where there
have been several in the party, a man
or woman of especially ardent nature
has been known to not confine the lip
tribute to any one member of the
party, but to favor all of the opposite
sex. One man, 1t is said, was so far
carried away by the influence as to
kiss his mother-in-law, and she,
stranger still, returned the salute with
a wild fervor that fairly took his
breath. This. however, is said to be
most unusual case and the only one
so far recorded locally. and 1t is only
mentioned now to show the wonderful
power of the palmetto osculari."
Young couples who because of timid-
ity or diffidence, have found IL impos-
sible to crafty their wish to break
away from the formal Mr." and
Miss in their remarks addressed to
each other, have suddenly discovered
themselves saying George" and "Jes-
sie." or MARY" and John" quite
naturally this during what little time
and little breath they found them
selves possessed of between salutes of
an osculatory nature. Among those
who have been found returning to the
PLAN most frequently and whose Wis
its are longest are couples of this class,
and 1t is said the reserve that before
stood as a barrier between them and
acted as a minimizing factor in their
joys never returns. How many en-
gagements and marriages have result
ed because of proximity to the plant
will never be known, but the number
must be a goodly one.
Age No Bar to Influence.
Married people. who have come to
| look at matters in a less sentimental
| and more practical light than in their
| earlier years, have had recalled the
| joys of courtship and the honeymoon,
and, through this reminder of that
happy period. with the love-fiame
alight once again, have gone forth
from the warmth of the palm house
into the bright sunshine of a better,
happier marital existence. Those with
hair whitened by the frosts of many
winters, who have CHANGED near the
plant, have found it's influence Just as
potent for them, and at least one
breach of promise suit of the May and
December variety can be directly
traced to the occult influence of the
kissing palm" Now that the facts are
known, 1t is quite possible that testi-
mony as to the plant will be introduced
as evidence, and II such is done II will
no doubt result In bringing out much
that will be of interest and of real
scientific value concerning this re-
msrkable and hitherto little known bo-
tanical specimen.
The extraordinary character of the
palm is only equaled by its scarcity.
1t could almost be said to be extinct
were 1t not for the fact that at no
time In the worlds history has it been
other than very rare, and perhaps to-
day the number of kissing palms" in
growth is no smaller than for centu-
ries. The existence OF the plant has
long been a matter of dispute among
botanists. No less an authority than
Humboldt declared it as his belief that
the kissing plant" was fabulous Bon
pland also shared this belief and in
dulged in a bitter controversy with
Baudiern, who claimed to have seen
specimen of the palm in the South
Sea Islands, and there to have come
under It's influence to the extent that
he was unable to refrain from en-
bracing and kissing two anything but
attractive native women standing
near.
kissing Originated I'm Island.
The writer. Giraldus Cambrensis. his
torian, antiquary, philosopher, theolo-
gion. and poet, is said to have written
lengthy treatise on the plant, in
which he traced the origin of kissing TO
it. According to Cambrensis, the GUS
tom prevailed originally only in a small
island In midocean. due west from the
coast of Peru Here, it is said. under
the influence of the palm, the intoxi-
eating delights of a kiss were learned
by castaway Europeans. who, later re-
turning to their country, carried the
custom with them; the spread thence
forth being rapid and the custom soon
becoming general.
Some authorities, notably De Monke
and Geyer, have even tried to prove
that from the kissing of the hand came,
as compliment to the kissing palm"
the styling of the inner side of the hand
the palm" However. this may be,
one thing Is now certain, that this pc
culiar variety of palm is indigenous
to the Pacific island mentioned by
Cambrensis. Outside of that of Bau-
diern, there is no record of any speci-
NJ he