Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-23
Sturdy SeLf-DefenSe
of Poison Ivy Chief
Reason to Admire
Scientific ShGrps Say to KHOIC
Tlree-LeaUed Creeping
Plant Is to AUoid 1t.

WASHINGTON. July 2s.-'Look out for
that poison ivy" is an oft-repeated cry
these picnic days.
According 70 scientific sharps Of the
National Geographic society, Ito know
the poison ivy is to avoid it. yet to ad-
mire it for its sturdy self-detense.'
They point out that poison ivy is
member Of the sumae family, having as
relatives the vinegar tree. the the smooth
surmac, and the smokcbush.
It's range reaches as far north as Nova
Scotia, as far south as Florida and Texas,
and as far west as Utah and British
Columbia.
Many people confuse the Virginia
Creeper with the rascally poison Ivy, a
confusion which nothing but carelessness
In remembering the characteristics Of
plants could bring about: for the Ylr-
ginia creeper is careful always to put
forth FIVE leaves where the poison ivy
has only three" says a bulletin OF the
Geographic society.
VIRGINIA CREEPER
MISTAKEN FOR IVY.
THE Virginia creeper is condemned as
being poison ivy oftener than poison ivy
is accredited with being a Virginia
creeper.
MANY a Virginia creeper has reached
the untimely end Of mattoek execution by
the error, and not a few people have re-
ceived painful reminder Of their mis-
take when they have failed to observe
that three leaves spell foe in the ivy
vine and FIVE leaves friend
1.-THE poison ivy, or poison oak. as
some call 1t, is a prodigal climber, in
clined to run over everything in sight.
Even the oak sometimes is almost
smothered when the poison ivy reaches
its t6pmost branches and spreads fits
dense foliage over them.
at begins to blossom in May and
June, its flowers being small, fragrant,
yelIowish green, and arranged in dense
ly clustered spikes
Toward fall these develop into
smooth, white, wax-like berries that
often hold fast the winter through.
The three leases are shining green,
short-stemmed and oval pointed.
The poison Of this ivy is a powerful.
non-volatile oil which penetrates the
pores Of the human skin and develops
hosts of tiny itching blisters, followed
BY a burning swelling Of the affected
parts.
VALUE IN POISON
DEVELOPING PLANTS.
while we very naturally dislike
plant that poisons US when we touch
it, yet il we investigate the reason for
its poison We discover that a vast num-
Der Of plants develop poisons and near
poisons. and when we look over the list
we find that We would be rather badly
of without them.
1T is true that most Of them are pois-
onous only when eaten, and that few
are poisonous to the touch but they
have al developed these qualities in self
defense.
Some Of them store their poison in
their seeds. others in their root stocks
and others in their roots to protect their
progeny from harm.
They do not go about looking for
trouble, or seeking, Ike the devil, whom
they may destroy but they are pre-
pared to resist invasion of the rights of
their children
'sNux vomica and aconite are two of
many such illustrations that might be
cited.
GIFTS OF PLANT
WORLD TO MAN.
Others develop alkaloids like the
nicotine of tobacco the quinine of the
cinchona tree. and the theme Of tea, to
protect themselves.
'Strychnine, digitalis and a hundred
and one indispensable drugs that are
EcASoAOus Al OfeEupSto dEc the SlII OF tue
plant world to man as a by-product of
plant preparations for self defense.
And So when the poison ivy learned
10 give of its poison by contact rather
than through its own destruction, it sim
ply went STEP further than its neigh.
bors
1T has arranged its plans of defense
so that it can wage war without first
being eaten.
I'm that respect it meets the problem,
in the same way as the thistle and the
thorn, although 1t fights by subtle
stealth rather than open warfare
TURKS LEAVE FOR PARIS.
CoNSTANTINOPLE, July 23.-( Omitted
Press THE Turkish delegation, which
win sign the peace treaty, left here for