THE FEELINGS OF PLANTS 113 



trap is at all responsive to contact. The back of 

 the organ, even the surface of the plates them- 

 selves, may be touched ; but unless one of the 

 bristles is jarred the little trap remains immovably 

 open. Experiment with this strange plant showed 

 that whilst the blades would enclose small pieces 

 of stone, for instance, yet these would not be 

 retained for any length of time. A short while 

 after acceptance, the blades will slowly open and 

 permit the undesired substance to roll away. 



There is no doubt that there is a great deal 

 in the behaviour of roots which it is not at all 

 easy to explain. Indeed, Darwin went so 

 far as to say that the tip of the radicle, in its 

 power of directing the movements of adjoining 

 parts, acts like the brains of some of the lower 

 animals. Much that the growing roots accomplish, 

 however, is the outcome of simple circumstance. 

 We are no longer puzzled, as were the old botanists, 

 by the manner in which roots will seek the damp 

 portions of the soil. The additions to growing 

 roots will take place along the line of least resist- 

 ance ; this will naturally be through the soil 

 which has been loosened by water. In this way 

 the roots will ultimately arrive at the source of 

 the moisture. 



Other problems presented by roots are not 



