110 TALKS AFIELD. 



other peculiarity about this movement : it is 

 always in one direction, from the right to 

 the left of the observer, or in a course coin- 

 ciding with that of the sun. If the revolv- 

 ing shoot were to strike a thin stick, it would 

 coil about the stick in the same direction in 

 which it was revolving, the same as a rope 

 swung around the head would coil about a 

 stick which should come in its way. 



We can extend our observations to other 

 twiners with equal interest. Most of them 

 revolve in an opposite direction from the 

 hop, or in a course opposed to the apparent 

 motion of the sun or the direction of the 

 movement of the hands of a watch. Beans, 

 morning-glories, wistarias, and others twine 

 in this direction. With very few exceptions 

 the plants of one species always twine in one 

 direction. In some cases the tip of the 

 shoot is abruptly bent or hooked, and it is 

 thus enabled to grasp a support more read- 

 ily. Vines seldom twine about a large sup- 

 port, as the tip of the shoot has nothing to 

 support it while making the first long coil. 

 This inability to grasp a support four or five 

 inches in diameter is a direct advantage to 

 the plant, as it prevents the wasting of 

 growth ; the same length of stem will raise 



