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Carnivorous Plants

Hey Everyone,
I would first like to apologize if you are receiving this email twice or are receiving this email although you do not want it. I am trying to reach the members of the Carnivorous Plant Community that care to know whether Sarracenia purpurea in all its varieties and locations produces digestive enzymes.
As you may know I am attempting to conduct a comprehensive experiment to attempt to satisfy this problem. Unfortunately I need specimens of S. purpurea to be able to determine the production of digestive enzymes. I will be conducting this experiment the “old fashioned way” with tests for individual enzymes. Unfortunately this means I need more pitcher fluid then I previously thought. Unfortunately this means whole plants are preferable (although even if individual pitchers can be obtained I would be very grateful). I will happily pay for shipping. If you would like to send a plant I will ship the plant back to you after the experiment ends.
For packaging I would suggest plastic wrap around the fluid filled pitchers (for individual pitchers). Otherwise pack the pitchers how ever you feel they should be packed.
Unfortunately I am in a bit of a time constraint so I will attempt to reimburse as many people as possible before they ship the plants although I'm not sure that will be possible for everyone.
Thank You So Much,
Tre Bond
Treaqum@yahoo.com or numerusnex@yahoo.com
12 Walkers Ridge Dr.
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl 32082
 
Hey,
I wanted to thank everyone who agreed to donate S. purpurea pitchers or rent their plants to me. I still have room for more pitchers or plants. Since offering to pay for shipping does not seem to be enough to motivate a large proportion of the Carnivorous Plant community to help solve one of the biggest controversies in Carnivorous Plant history I'm also planning on including copies of the report when I ship the plants back to you.
On to to the Old Books: I'm going to use enzyme identification methods from Transactions of the Wagner Institute of Science of Philadelphia Vol. IX 1927. Unfortunately the price tag associated with buying these chemicals is about all the school will let me spend (and I can afford). I will be testing for protease, urease, maltase, emulsin, invertase and diatase using individual tests for each enzyme. Unfortunately this will require a lot of pitcher fluid. So I must amend my previous statements of sealed pitchers into any pitchers from Sarracenia purpurea with location data. I would prefer to "rent" plants (I could probably afford to rent them or trade other plants for the rent price) which I would ship back at the conclusion of the experiment but I understand this is not possible everywhere. I will settle for pitchers that arrive un-crushed (which would probably mean packing in Tupperware or inflated plastic bags) which can easily be coxed into producing pitcher fluid. I have to wash out all the pitchers and treat them with bacteriacide anyway so I'm not that concerned with fluid being in the pitchers when they arrive. I've recently discovered that it is highly probable that unopened pitchers do not have enzymes due to a lack of stimuli which is another motivating factor in this change.

Now for actual books: In my research I've gotten to hold signed copies of E.T. Wherry's works along with signed Darlingtonia papers by Torrey and one of the original Darwin Insectivorous Plants with notes inside by a lady that was apparently studying S. leucophylla and the Drosera nearby.

Tre Bond
numerusnex@yahoo.com or Treaqum@yahoo.com
12 Walkers Ridge
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
 
I'd love to help you, but I haven't got enough purp juice to even whet your appetite- most of my purp is in hybrids. Best of luck to you, though! I'm hoping you'll let us know your results and I (and I'm sure many other people) would be very interested in hearing your results! Sounds like a good experience.
smile.gif


--Jonathan
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Since offering to pay for shipping does not seem to be enough to motivate a large proportion of the Carnivorous Plant community to help solve one of the biggest controversies in Carnivorous Plant history

Perhaps their reluctance has more to do with your reputation than the experiment itself.  You were placed on the 2nd level of Trading risk with numerous complaints about dishonor in trades and/or purchases.  Maybe people are a little suspicious about your ability/qualifications to conduct such a complex  scientific experiment as well as follow-through on things like paying for postage and returning plants.

Just a thought.

By the way...what ARE your qualifications for such an endeavor and what exactly will be your scientific method for your experiment?
 
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