202 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK ch. 



others. His notes of the visit are as follows : 

 " Thursday, to F. Darwin's opening address, 

 moved vote of thanks. Friday, spoke in the 

 Economic Section on Fiscal Policy. Saturday, 

 took the chair at Marr's lecture to the Working 

 Men, and read a paper on " Mountain Building." 

 Sunday, Trinity Chapel in the morning. With 

 Ursula and Irene to do illustrations for my 

 paper. Monday, read my paper on "Forms of 

 Stems." Thiselton Dyer made a nice speech, 

 and it has been well reported. Tuesday, to 

 hear A. Evans's paper on Crete. Seconded 

 vote of thanks. Wednesday, home. I had two 

 talks with Balfour on Fiscal Policy. He ex- 

 plained that when he spoke of a total reversal, 

 he only meant in certain cases. He held out, 

 however, no hope of any good economy and seemed 

 to think a 5 per cent duty all round might be 

 necessary, and could not be called Protection ! 

 A most interesting and delightful week." 



The report of his paper on the " Forms of 

 Stems " is worth quotation, both on account of 

 the interest of the subject, and as showing the 

 mode of his inquiry and study of Nature. 



ON THE FORMS OF STEMS OF PLANTS 



Lord Avebury 



22nd August 1904 



Some plants have round stems, some square, some 

 triangular, some pentagonal. No doubt there are 

 reasons for these and other forms, but the author found 

 no explanation in botanical works. 



It is of course important for plants, as for architects, 

 to obtain the greatest strength with the least expenditure 

 of material. To do this it is necessary that the plant 

 should be equally liable to rupture at every point when 



