4 WONDERS OF PLANT LIFE 



find the rooting-place of these plants, in situations 

 where nothing but a subject that could grow 

 yards up towards the light would possibly be 

 able to exist. 



The different methods adopted by the climb- 

 ing plants to get up in the world are as varied 

 as they are ingenious. Perhaps the most common 

 is that to be seen in the case of the twining species, 

 which by means of their stems twist themselves 

 round a support. Some of these plants, such as 

 the Hop, invariably turn from left to right ; 

 whilst others, of which the Bean is a typical 

 example, travel in an opposite direction. The 

 constancy with which each species adheres to its 

 particular habit of growth is very remarkable ; 

 no coercion will induce the stem to alter its 

 natural course. 



A very interesting experiment may be con- 

 ducted with a common Scarlet Runner Bean plant 

 to illustrate the climbing methods of the species. 

 A young seedling should be secured which has 

 just developed its second pair of leaves. At this 

 stage the short stem is very nearly upright, but 

 as it develops it becomes too slender to support 

 itself. Now comes into operation that curious 

 tendency on the part of climbing plants called 

 circumnutation. This consists in a ceaseless search 



