Norwich bulletin., 1916-04-27
Leaves.

Leaves are so common we do not observe how beautiful they are But let us take any common leaf into our hand and examine it. say the leaf of the strawberry plant See how pret- tly tt is notched- Hold it up 10 the light, and see the lines that run from the middle line to the edge Then observe how delicate and beautiful is the hne network between tbese lines
 Notice also the back of the leaf. and you will see the ribs that spread out ! from the main rib in the middle to the edge These form the frame of the leaf. just as timbers are the frame of a house They are to the leaf what whaie-bones are to an umbrella They give strength to it and without | it the leaf would look faded and hang down Three ribs are very large in
 oroad-spreading leaves. as, in those of the vine and rhubarb plant: while | In leaves that are stiT and firm, like
 the holly and the laurel. the rTos are
 very small
 Some leaves are of a very singular
 shape. and ore of the most remark
 able Is that of the pitcher plant, a | native of China At the end of the ! leaf the main rib extends like a ten-
 dril. and to this is attached a little | pitcher with a lid on the top. This
 Id though it can be raised, Is gener-
 ally shut down. The rain, therefore,
 cannot get in. and yet the pitcher is
 always full of water.
 Now. how do you suppose this wa
 ter gets there2 IL is a part of the sap
 of the plant. and is poured from
 thousands of little mouths on the in-
 side into the pitcher. which fs thus
 kept filled with water.
 This plant is quite comon in the is-
 land of Ceylon, where it is called the
 monkey-cu because the monkeys
 sometimes open the lid and drink the water. Men. too, sometimes drink
 from these little pitchers. when there
 IS no spring of water at hand where
 they can quench their thirst.
 The leaf of the Venus fiy-trap. e plant which Is a native of Canada, is . real trap for flies and other fn-
 sects- When undisturbed, 1t looks as
 If no danger were there: but let an . made a prisoner at once The two parts of the leaf close and the points . on the edge are locked together. SO to furnish bars to the prison.
 Most leaves are thin, but some are . very thick, as in the case of the In- dia rubber tree. The plants called cactuses have thick feshy leaves. ! which make them look very awkward , but the flowers are very beautiful. I; ! is a singular fact that if one of the leaves is broken off and put into the ground. 1t will take root and grow.
 Why does a leaf fade when it is
 plucked from a tree2 It is because
 the sap can no longer get to 1t; just | AS llp lIlAQ n 1louHE NNGI
 the water-pipe is cut off. When the ! leaf Is on the tree, the sap flows tC 3 all parts of 1t through the ribs of tho
 leaf; the ribs. like the stem. having 8 innumerable little pipes in them fol 7 the sap to run in- But when a leaf ii ! plucked, the watery part of the say
 escapes into the air through innum. 5 erahle iitle holes or pores on the un- :. der surface of the leaf so small thai e they cannot be seen without the aiC [ of a powerful microscope. When thi
 ribs and the fine network betweeT a l them have thus lost their supply o 0 sap. the leaf is said to be faded d The water In the leaf of the pitchs g plant. as already stated. comes iron o the pores on the inside If instead O
 having a pitcher shape. the leaf wer e laid open and spread out like a com I mon leaf the water would all pas y away Into the air: but the little pitch s CT. with curious lid. prevents the mois e ture from escaping. and is soon quit
 full. This shows how much water es Il capes from leaves into the air. If an, n comon leaf could be changed into e pitcher or cup shape, with a lid on 4 t it would soon become filled wit . water. flowing into 1t from the pore - of the leaf.
 T Leaves may be said to be contin - ually breathing moisture into the aii @ This moisture helps to make the ai
 soft, and the fragrance of the flower a makes 1t balmy. Each leaf, it
 true. yields but Title water and 6 n does but little good in this way: bu e there are So many leaves that a larg "a quantity of moisture is continually es
 caping from them into the air. ,: EDITH W. HATHAWAY. Age C.. Bozrahville.