BiOTic State of Energy 111 



Dias. and stapelias, are also striking. Thus cuttings or slips 

 of many well-known fruit-trees, willows, poplars, etc., may 

 be kept for months, or in some cases even for years, if only 

 water be T\dthheld, though under conditions of temperature 

 and oxygen that are normal. But during all of tliis period 

 the protoplasm is slowly transpiring, and retains a reserve of 

 energy that enables the shoot when placed in soil to form rapidly 

 roots below and leaves above. In this connection the writer 

 knows no more marked case than that of the Carolina Poplar 

 or Cottonwood. A terminal shoot with stem ten to twelve 

 feet in length, and that is as thick as one's arm, can be cut 

 from a tree, allowed to lie dormant for weeks at rather low 

 temperature (1-5° C), can then be planted in spring, and from 

 the base of the stump abundant rootage will start, that in a 

 season may reach to five or more feet in each root, while above 

 ground vigorous leafy shoots will form. Naturally a large 

 part of such luxuriant growth is effected at expense of the 

 abundant reserve food stored in the tissues of the stem and 

 branches, but alike in the primary growth-start, and as a 

 continuous radiating energy flow, there can only be accepted 

 an expenditure of some perfect quality of energy that greatly 

 excels those of the inorganic world. 



It may now be suggested that, if such an energy as the biotic 

 exists in the manner indicated, it should be possible to lead 

 it along appropriate conductors from one center of higher 

 biotic tension to one of lower, or vice versa, just as electricity 

 can be conducted rapidly along a silver or platinum wire, less 

 perfectly along a copper one, and only slowly along a zinc 

 wire. Such conduction and also convection currents are well 

 known. Though, owing to the imperfect condition of our 

 knowledge at present, we can state nothing regarding acayrotic 

 types, it is now well established for higher forms that currents 

 of electric, of chemic, and of thermic energy traverse the proto- 

 plasm. Btit in the case of the Carolina Poplar described above, 

 and many similar examples even amongst herbaceous plants, 

 the constant effort or energy-expenditure put forth by the 

 tissues to push out as roots or leaves indicates a greatly more 



