Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-10

between vegetables lanU animals is that
vegetables live and grow while ami
mails live. grow and feel. Modern sci
entific research has established, how
ever. that to great extent plants may
be said to feel, too, and ii would seem
therefore that some other definition
must now be found.
Respiration In the animal depends
upon the absorption of oxygen and the
liberation OF carbon. In plants. an OPP
positc process. known as the chloro-
phyliian function, has usually been
considered as essential to plant exist
ence as breathing is to animal life.
And Yet this function is found to be
altogether absent in large number
of living forms, which must neyerthc-
less be considered as plants. while III
any case it is only those parts of a
plant which are green that present it.
Thus the roots, the heart of the trunk.
the buds in course Of development. the
tower. the culured fruit and the seeds
do not fix the carbon and release the
oxygen. and in that respect they Close-
~ resemble animal life.
The very extended group of mush-
room vegetables presents this physi-
illogical popularity. which brings it
very close to animal mature.
In d general way the accomplish
mrnt of the chlorophyllian junction
places all the plants with green matter
i'm absolute dependence upon the direct
light of the sun.
The influence of light is SO important
for the phenomena of vegetation. that
the chlorophyli plants cannot live i'll
prolonged darkness. This is the reason
that the marine flora goes no deeper
than 400 meters. because deeper than
This the water is impenetrable Icy the
rays of the sun.
Following this general suggestion OF
the relation of light to vegetation, sew
ernl special phenomena may be c1teu
in which the reaction produced on AM
mails by light closely resembles those
produced on plants.
Certain movements of leaves. flow
ers or twigs are notable. If the plants
are nut in a dark corner, where there
is a window, the twigs will be seen TO
turn toward the lighted space. The
leaves always turn 50 as to get as
much light as possible it is we'll known
that many flowers turn toward INC
sun. and follow its course; the great
sunflower is especially remarkable III
this respect. In order to turn It's olos-
SONS constantly to the sun. IL t"lstS
the twig all around. similar ettrac-
tion for light has been noted In the
lower animals.
Hinder the influence Of the darkness
Of NIGHT the leaves. folioles or blossom
talSp liHpTEUt 20
sit;on from that in the light. The pre-
nomenon has long been known as pian'
sleep. AS generally understood IL
analogous to the sleep of ANIMALS t'le
difference between the two manifesto
tons being only in the plant iach VI
a nervous system.
How then Goes the plant perceive
light? This perception takes place
chiefly in the leaves, according te
modern ideas we must consider the
cellules of the epidermis OF the upper
surface Of the leaves. which are trans
parent and very small, as so many
lenses Intended to concentrate the III
fpiuous rays upon the protcpasm OF
the inside Of the leaf.
Another point of contact between Tue
Animal and vegetable worlds Is the
possibility of free movement. or re-
dexcs accorded to certain elements OF
to certain organs.
Reflex movements are by no means
rare in the higher plants: they are
grouped in dependence upon Il mech
anisn,. in which we would like To So =
special property under the name Irrl
liability.
The sensitive plant tmimosa pudlca>
is one of the best known instances
This plant and others of the same
group close their folioles toward the
extremity of the petioles, ana ever
bend the petioles toward the t"ig
when touched or approached too near
ly.
The dlonee. the insect killing plant,
closes its leaves l1ngitudinally as it re
ceives shock touching special places
in the middle Of the leaf the drosera
makes similar movements.
Botanists do not consider the ex-
tended motions of the sensitive plant
dianous ard similar plants as ISOLATED
EXCEPTIONS in the vegetable Kingdom,
but simply as an exaggeration oil
more general property common to all
Vegetable crgansm-ex citability which
may be defined as the power of cell
lular tissue to develop itself, to oper
ate, and to react against external in
flences.
BE that as it may mere are the
plants armed with elementary sense
organs and science which has given us
Linnaean formula, which considers
feeling the exclusive possession of ami
mals-Prof. A. Acloque in the Clevc-
land Plain Dealer. As