WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1962
A 3
It hardly seems possible,
but there really is a plant
that actually lives on air.
The air-plant, so named be
cause it docs receive its nour
ishment from the air. is a
prosaic relative of the pine
apple. It has solved the high
cost of living by using the
only free thing we have, and
plenty of it
Perched, monkey-like, in
the crotch of a tree, it gathers
its invisible food from the at
mosphere and intercepts the
rain before it reaches the
Small
Worlds
Around
Us
ground. The final end to its
life cycle is little more than
a slow and painless process of
dehydrating tissues.
Produces Babies
Usually, before it docs "curl
up and die" it produces one
or more baby air-plants grow
ing robustly upon the aged
leaves, ready to continue the
species.
The backward curling, ra
ther stiff leaves of the tiue
air-plant form at their base a
natural reservoir that retains
a supply of water for the
plant's use during periods of
prolonged drought. The loaves
also are concave on their up
per surface which tends to
funnel what rain or dew that
forms into the little cistern.
Dead insects drown in this
stored water, their decompos
ing bodies adding somewhat
to the food the plant needs.
Bits of broken leaves from
other plants also decompose
in the water, adding their bit
to the food supply. By such
methods the air-plant cheats
a little, but air will do if no
insect or decaying vegetable
matter Is available.
During the early spring a
stiff, erect flower stalk grows
up from the rosette of long,
pointed leaves and bears a
reddish-brown flower. It is
not a pretty blossom, but it
suits the air-plant.
From this peculiar flower
many seeds sift out. Some are
carried by air to lodge on
some other "landing field."
where the young plant will
develop a system of "holding
leaves" which grasp the near
est solid support and hold the
newly born air-plant.
Grows Large
Living on air, the young
plant, if unmolested, will
reach a considerable size in
a year's time; may even de
velop into an object as large
as a half-bushel basket. And
does it all on air.
Should a wind or some
other force dislodge the plant
from its perch, the curled,
stiff leaves often will catch
and hold to the first twig,
branch or rough tree-bark it
touches. If this happens, the
"clasping roots" at the base
of the plant will take hold
and encircle the perch.
These holding fingers will
grip the branch tightly and
the plant will start to right
itself into a position where
the rain and dew can feed
into the storage vat. Should
the air-plant fall upside down
on the ground, death eventu
ally will follow; it cannot
even get "a breath of air."
lis preferred habitat is
above the earth, up in a tree
ONE BIG PARTY
Milwaukee -IIPD- Frank J.
Jazdzewski, 67, veteran mem
ber of the Milwaukee County
Safety Commission, was fined
$100 Tuesday for reckless
driving while returning home
from a party for another safe
ty commission official. The
judge who imposed the fine
also attended the party.
HeR's m
CARDS FOR
SUNDAY. JUNE 17
V hen you care enoupK
to lend the very best
Cwom'c 217 E. Main
UTVeni 9 Medford
V A. "v
(Ri llller i TMbunt Syndicate, 1963)
where its half-dry tissues can
absorb that mysterious
"something" that is contained
in air and water.
Plant That Livei on. Air,
Called Air-plant, oi Course
WM CHOOSE THE
MEDFOHD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
Sealy Posturepedic'
THAT PAMPERS YOU 171 0 ST
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We believe we have the finest selec
tion of sleep furniture in Southern
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Expecting
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NUiii IIIMIIMIll
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0 INNERSPRING POSTUREPEDIC
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matching foundation sama pries
I
26 to Select From!
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EVERYTHING FOR LUXURIOUS, STRETCH-OUT COMFORT
Sealy King-Size
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JUST
NOW OPEN .
FRIDAY NIGHTS
For your convenience. If you aren't able to shop
during the day, stop in Friday nils and shop at
your leisure.
tu urn ill
HOME
Shop all three huge floors
filled with fine furniture at
Weeks & Orr, Southern Ore
gon's Oldest and Largest
Furniture Store.
114 West Main Street
Phone 772 9351
, SSkM - I- i f if f 1
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.. SS&SZ- M
FOR ONLY ms w
B W M
Look at all you get:
Luxurious 76 x I IVY
Saly mattrvit
2 Scaly box sprlngt
to match matt rota
7 Klng-ilio Pacific
thoottt Contour
fthoot, 10t x
top thoot
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ur bottom s L,
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219"
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Sn ve on very thing yott
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CONVENIENT TERMS