One hundred years ago
MR FRANCIS Darwin, the son of the great naturalist, has been investigating the effect on insectivorous plants of supplying them with, and withholding from them, animal food. "He grew two lots of plants under similar conditions. One lot he fed with roast meat, one- fiftieth of a grain being placed on the secreting glands; while from the other all such material was carefully excluded. The results were most marked in the number and weight of the seeds. The number of seeds produced by the fed plants was as 240 to 100 of the unfed ones; while the total weight of the seeds was as 380 to 100." In other words, the plants which were restricted to a vege- tarian diet were invalids compared with the plants furnished with animal food. Should not that do something towards convincing the vegetarians that their doctrine does not make for health? It is difficult to suppose that if there are even some vegetables which do not flourish on a vegetable diet, there can be anything against Nature in supplying animals provided with all the instincts and organs which appear to point to a carnivorous diet, with a considerable proportion of animal food. And we sup- pose that the heavier seed would imply also more fertile seed. At least it is so with wheat, where the heavier the grain, the more abundant is its fertility.
The Spectator 19 December 1891
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