AND DEW BY THE GREEN PAETS OF PLANTS. 327 



able length, if the inflorescence was to be retained without wither- 

 ing as long as possible. 



It was found, however, that if the flowers are well nigh at matu- 

 rity, the additional impetus given to them by the extra absorbing 

 surface hastened them too much, so that the petals would fall early ; 

 but, on the other hand, when the stem was ligneous, as of Lilac, 

 or the inflorescence chiefly in buds, as of Tradescantia and Com- 

 posite, then the advantage was apparent ; so that instead of the 

 buds perishing, they continued to expand successively. 



A certain amount of judgment would therefore seem to be ne- 

 cessary in forming a bouquet, as to the desirability of retaining 

 some leaves or not ; but if the principle be understood that it is 

 a question of" supply and demand," it will not be found difficult 

 to discover to what extent it may be desirable to increase the ab- 

 sorbing surface in each case. 



It is hardly needful to remark that the leaf must be in full 

 vigour, and if it show any signs of decay, must be instantly re- 

 moved. Moreover the leaves are apt, apparently through endos- 

 niotic action, to be after a time often coated with a kind of mu- 

 cus, so that the water must be changed more often than when 

 stalks only are inserted, 



PS. Since this paper w r as read, a notice of it has appeared in a 

 St.-Petersburg Journal*, a propos of making cuttings. M. Gr. 

 "Weidenberg believes that the reason of the frequent fading of 

 cuttings before they have struck root is to be accounted for by 

 the fact that, as a rule, the transpiration from the exposed leaves 

 is greater than the amount of water which the cut end can supply. 

 He recommends, therefore, that the cuttings should be longer 

 than usual, and that some of the leaves should be buried as well, 

 so that about one third of them may remain above ground. Those 

 leaves in the soil will thus undertake the function of absorbing 

 water. The ground (he adds) should be porous, to allow of free 

 access of air, so that the roots may be formed rapidly before the 

 leaves have time to decay. In this way Hoses, Pinks, and other 

 cuttings usually hard to strike, will make very good roots, 

 (April 1879.) 



* St. Petersburg* Zeitung (Beiblatt), 20th Feb. 1879. 



