The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-27
STUDY OF QUEER
 SENSITIVE PLANTS One Acts As Compass Guiding
 the Wanderer WEATHER F0RECASTERS Another Strange Plant Is Said To Be Able To Give Warning of Impend-
 ing Earthquakes-Ghost
 Plant In Oregon.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
 One of the most curious of the world ; plants, and one which is indigenous to this country alone, is the compass plant Slip hium lactinitum, which was first called to the attention of the scientific world by General (then Major) Benjamin Alvord in 1S42, and which received its name from tn 3 curious property exhibited by it's leaves of presenting their faces to the rising and setting sun. This remarkable species is d perennial plant of the order Compositate. The first year it bears only radical leaves; the second year and after, it is a flower ing herb, with four to give leaves from 12 to 90 inches in length on the stem.
 It is found in the rich prairies of the Mississippi valley, from Minnesota to Texas. The polarity of the leaves of this plant was known to hunters and settlers long before General Alvord discovered it. and they would resort to 1t when lost in the prairies on dark nights, as by feeling of it's leaves they could easily get their bearings Many lives have doubtless been saved by this plant.
 The world will soon be able to rest in peace, for since the discovery of the weather plant" by the alleged move ments of which it's discoverer, Prof. J. F. Nowack, aserts he is able not only to foretell the weather, but, what is more Important still, warn of forthcoming storms, cyclones, earthquakes fire damps and volcanic eruptions, no one needs to sit up O nights wondering where the next great catastrophe will strike. He will re- ceive news from the plant to 2S days in advance, and can prepare himself ac- cordingly.
 The plant, which bears the scientific name of Abrus precatorius nobilis, IS a native of Cuba, and is not at all striking in appearance.S It bears no flowers, and merely consists of a long stalk, from which branch numerous twigs containing rows of delicate looking leaves The leaves frequently change color or close alto gether, while the twigs bend themselves into curious positions for some, to the uninitated, unknown reason, which the discoverer says he is able to read and 1 interpret.
 He declared that the plant is highly | sensitive to electric and magnetic inf1u- ! ences, and that by being able to interpret ], the movements of the> plant in response 1 to the electric currents between the earth l and the sun he is enabled to predict great 1 convulsons of nature. He claims to have , foretold by means of this plant as far | back as 1892. the earthquakes in San {, Francisco and Jamaica, and the volcanic i eruptlons in Martinique, Japan and Italy l None of the government weather bureau
 
 ! stations has been closed as yet, how 1 ever.
 :; One of the commonest roadside plants 1 of certain parts of Asia is the sensitive l plant (Mimosa sensitiva), which grows m | profusion In waste places and on banks by the wayside. It is very low, spread ing plant. seldom rising higher than .he 1 grass among which it grows or more l than six inches from the ground. but 1 covering large spots which arc djstin. guished from the rough herbage by it's neat, regular foliage. It is almost con !, stantly in flower The manner in which the aspect O: 1 such little bush is altered by touch 1 Is very remarkable. Brush your foot l over the luxurant plant as you pass ny l, and the whole bush seems to disappear and you look for 1t almost in vain All the little leaflets shut up, one after the ! other: then the secondary stalks drop;