Part 18

Now when these leaves of water-plants are made to grow to the top of the water and live, they are broad, and often shaped like a shield. They are to spread out on the surface of the water, and catch all the air and sunshine that they can.

But there are other kinds of water-plants which have their leaves growing down under the water. All these leaves made to stay in the water are fringe-like and narrow. They look like wide leaves cut into many small strips.

Most sea-weeds have fringe-like leaves. Yet there are sea-weeds with wide leaves. They, like the fish, are made to live in the water all the time.

The fresh-water plants generally mean to come to the top of the water some time. They have green leaves. Their leaves can keep green only by the action on them of the air and light. This is why the leaf is made fringe-like. Its fringed leaves act as a net, floating around in the water. These leaf-nets catch not fish, but air-bubbles, and rays of light.

The water crow-foot, or water buttercup, has two kinds of leaves. Those at the bottom of the stalk are all in fine fringes. The leaves at the top are broad, like other crow-foot leaves.

There are some water-plants which do not root at the bottom of the pond. They spend all their lives floating about. A little plant called “duck-weed” is one of them. It has a soft, green body like two halves of a tiny pea. Its roots are three or four fine threads. It gathers all its food from the water.

Most water-plants have two sets of roots. One set holds the plant fast in its place. The other roots spring from the base of the leaves. They gather food from the water.

Now, while leaves that grow in the water are fringe-like, I think you will see that leaves of plants that grow in sand must be just the opposite.

If you examine a plant growing in dry sand, you will find that it has thick, soft, juicy leaves. The leaves of sand-plants are seldom flat. They are shaped like fringes, or the palm of your hand, or like little rolls.

Why is that? Can you not guess? The roots of these sand-living plants can get very little water. Only when rain and heavy dew fall can they get moisture. If they are wise little plants, they will store moisture up.

These sand-plants store up food and moisture in their leaves. It may surprise you that plants, growing in such dry places, have leaves so full of juice. The leaves are their pantry. They are full of saved-up water.

You will notice another thing. Many of the sand-plants have their leaves covered with prickles, hooks, and thorns. The leaves are rough, like burrs. Why is that? Is it not so, that birds and beasts will not want to eat them?

If the leaves are nipped off by animals, these plants must die. Their sand home gives them no water for their roots. If the leaves are eaten, all the plant must perish.

As there is so little water in the sand to carry food to the plant through the roots, the leaves of these plants must do most of their eating. So in the sand-growing plants the leaves serve as mouth, stomach, and pantry.

By the sea-side you will find plenty of sand-growing plants. You can study them, and prove these points for yourselves.

Children who are not by the sea may, perhaps, have, near where they live, a curious sand-loving plant, the cactus. The cactus prefers a sandy soil. I have seen a large cactus, covered with yellow blooms, growing right in a drift of clear sand.

You will notice that what you call the leaves of the cactus are not real leaves, but thick, odd-shaped stems. These stems are green, and answer for leaves. They are of many queer shapes. They are covered with little clusters of prickles. As they serve for leaves, these odd stems of a sand-plant are fleshy and juicy. The plant stores its food and drink in them.

LESSON XII.

PLANTS THAT EAT ANIMALS.

You have now heard of so many wonders about plants, that perhaps nothing new which you will hear of them will surprise you. You may not even say “Oh!” when I tell you that some plants eat bugs,--as ants, gnats, and flies,--and will not even refuse a nice bit of raw meat!

These plants are called the “flesh-eaters.” The name is a long one,--carnivora. Here is a verse about them. As it has long, hard words in it, I wish to say I did not make it.

“What’s this I hear About the new carnivora? Can little plants Eat bugs and ants? Why this is retrograding! Surely the fare Of flowers is air, Or sunshine sweet. They should not eat, Or do aught so degrading.”

These animal-eating plants are so made that they catch insects, and suck up, or draw out, the juice of their bodies. This juice the plant seems to feed upon. It has been seen to pass from the leaf which catches the insect into the stem and other parts of the plant.

In all these insect-eating plants, it is the leaf that does the killing and eating.

I will first tell you of a little water-plant of this queer class. It is called the bladder-plant. It is one of the water-plants which float free. On the fringe-like leaves are little bags or bladders. These are full of air, and help the plant to float. The mouth of these little bags has a door opening inward. It is set round with hairs.

The little insect-larvæ which live in water, and other tiny animals that swim about, see these little floating bags, with the small, green doors. The creatures act as if they wanted to know what was inside such pretty places. Finally they go in. To go in is easy. But once in, they cannot get out. The little door will not open outwards.

After a day or two, the animal thus trapped is all eaten. Only the hard, horny parts, which serve for its bones, are left.

There is another small plant, called the sun-dew, which eats insects. Any of you who live near a cranberry bog can find sun-dew growing on the edges of the bog. It is a plant that lives in wet places.