1Q04] Experiment in Vitality in Plants. , 171 



plant holds. A fresh and clean cut was then made by means of a 

 sharp pair of scissors, a few millimetres above the old wound. 

 It was twenty minutes after four in the afternoon when the plant 

 was cut and placed in ihe g-lass with a little water at the bottom 

 in order to test the absorption power and vitality in the specimen 

 at hand. 



, In less than one minute there was a clear evidence of a stiffen- 

 ing in the wilted petioles which formed decided curved lines or 

 arches with the flowers and buds drooping or inclined at various 

 angles. 



At twenty-three minutes after the hour, there were clearer signs 

 of a revival, and the buds and flowers had begun to raise their 

 heads from the positions in which they severally were at the outset, 

 and the topmost bud had changed its posit on fully 30*^. Follow- 

 ing the course pursued by this bud, at twenty-four minute- after 

 four, it was fully 60'' away from its first position. At twenty-five 

 minutes alter, this bud had made an arc of a circle subtend ng a 

 right angle or 90*^. At twenty-seven minutes after, making seven 

 minutes after the experiment was begun, the topmost bud, and the 

 part of the petiole supporting it showed no sign of wilting or pros- 

 tration, but was gradually and effectively reaching the normal 

 position in the fields, having raised itself an additional twenty-five 

 or thirty degrees. At twenty-nine minut-^s after the hour, by far 

 the longest part of the petiole was quite erect with the terminal 

 bud very nearly vertical. 



Thus it appears that in nine minutes of time only, the droop- 

 ing and prostrate bud, which had been cut off from the natural and 

 and steady supply of moisture tor its support, after the plant had 

 been immersed, at its wound, in water, had taken up sufficient 

 moisture to restore and revive its branches, causing them to raise 

 their heads, describing an arc subtending an angle of fully one 

 hundred and fifty degrees. 



When the experiment was first tried it was further noted that 

 the first branches to give evidence of new life and vigor, were 

 those nearer to the base or root The first branch took the first 

 supply of water, and the second branch took the next on, in regular 

 order to the top. The topmost bud was the one selected for the 

 experiment and calculations which proved most interesting. A sheet 



