402 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



ceases. Motion is an attribute of vital force ; and vital force, whatever be its 

 origin, must be sustained by nutrition. 



There are two forms of motion. The one we call growth, which is the mo- 

 tion of the cells individually; the other, in animals, we call muscular motion, 

 is the movement of the cells collectively. This tendril motion, unnamed be- 

 cause until lately unknown, is analogous to animal muscular motion, in its 

 being a collective movement of the parts. 



In animals we know that nutrition will only suppty a given amount of force, 

 and that if muscular motion receives an undue proportion of this force, growth 

 (cell motion) suffers. In common language, the over-run horse gains no flesh. 

 On the other hand, the disuse of muscular power fattens the animal. If the 

 same division of motion exists in plants, and Mr. Darwin's paper shows it does, 

 it necessarily follows that if one form gets more than, its due share, the health- 

 ful balance is destroyed in other words, the force necessary for excessive .ten- 

 dril motion in the grape vine exhausts the nutritive powers of the plant to sup- 

 ply ; growth suffers, and disease ensues. 



To apply this principle to the case of unsuccessful grape culture, we find in 

 no system of grape management is any provision made for arresting tendril 

 motion, but on the tree thousands of little twigs invite the tendrils at every 

 turn. No motion is expended except for what we might almost term healthful 

 exercise, the balance is used in growth. 



Observation on many species of climbing vines under similar circumstances 

 confirms these views. The growth and general healthfulness of every kind of 

 vine, is in exact proportion to the climbing facilities afforded it. The garden 

 pea will furnish a ready means of testing this proposition. It will be found 

 that difference in vigor, general healthfulness, and longevity, is strikingly in 

 lavor of those grown on twiggy brandies. Peas unstaked grow weakly, bear 

 early and sparingly, and die young. Honeysuckles ramble to great heights and 

 have large luxuriant foliage on fine wire trellises, but when dangling to one 

 straight stick they grow very little indeed. The most striking instance that 

 came under my observation was in some Wistaria sinensis which had been 

 trained to form self-supporting dwarf trees. The branches would only grow 

 two or three feet in a season, but a few of the shoots in time bending over and 

 reaching the ground, where they found a natural support, would grow 

 thirty feet during a single season. The observations in this way were so uni- 

 form, and the materials being everywhere, any one can verify this without it 

 being necessary for me to particularize further instances. 



Every effort of nature is but an endeavor to accomplish an object. The his- 

 tory of a plant's life is a struggle with gravitation. The purpose of that strug- 

 gle is with the Author of its existence, but its immediate object is to elevate 

 itself from the earth. The force required for this is very great. In its young 

 days, however, it. goes on with vigor, taking no thought, as it were, of to-mor- 

 row, but, as it grows older, it becomes bowed down by the weight of its own 

 accumulations ; gravity tells on its wide-spreading branches, reminding it of 

 its growing weakness. It then prepares itself for its final dissolution by pro- 

 ducing fruit, which, fully accomplished, the struggle with gravitation ceases, 

 and dust to dust returns. 



The whole of this enormous motive force must, as we have seen, be derived 

 from nutrition, and the proper proportion due to each form of motion must 

 be provided and paid to it, or deranged action be the inevitable consequence. 



[Dec. 



