April 27, 1882 | 
NATURE 
617 
tures generally take place long before twenty-four hours have 
elapsed. 
Dots were made on the roots (Vicia Hada) at different distances 
from their tips, so that the spaces thus marked out could be 
measured by means of a microscope. The beans were placed 
during the experiment in closely-shutting tin boxes, nearly filled 
with damp peat. 
A considerable number of experiments were thus made, and 
the results obtained do not confirm those of Wiesner, but agree 
rather with Sachs’ statement, that cutting off the tip of a bean 
root does not seriously hinderits growth. They show, moreover, 
that the effect of the operation is transitory, and that as the roots 
recover from the shock, they may actually grow more quickly 
than the uninjured specimens. Thus in one of the experiments 
the roots were marked at 2mm, and 5mm. from the apex, and 
the intervening space was measured after 3h. Iom., and again an 
additional interval of 3h. 5m. During the first 3h. 1om., if the 
growth of the normal roots be taken as equal to 100, that of the 
“cut”? ones was 78; during the second period the proportion 
was :—normal to ‘‘cut” as 100 to 102; that is to say, the 
*fcut” roots grew more quickly than the uninjured ones. 
Other experiments gave the same result; on the other hand some 
cases occurred in which the power of recovery was not so rapid 
er well marked. ‘Thus in one experiment the growths (per cent.) 
after twelve hours were in the proportion:—Normal: Cut: : 
100: 83, so that the growth of the ‘‘cut” roots was less by 17 
per cent. than that of the uninjured ones, 
On the whole the experiments show distinctly that a loss of 
geotropisim may occur without serious interference with growth. 
The author then goes on to show that even if this were not so, 
it could still be shown that Wiesner’s conclusion is incorrect. 
If a root is split by two longitudinal incisions into three 
lamella, and if it be placed horizontally, so that the cut--urfaces 
are in a vertical plane, Sachs has shown that the central portion 
of the root containing the chief part of the vascular tissue, is 
capable of bending geotropically downwards. It was therefore 
thought desirable to compare the rates of growth of such split 
roots with others whose tips had been cut oft. The result showed 
that the “cut” roots grow much more vigorously than the split 
ones. ‘Thus we have in one experiment— 
Cut : split : : 1co : 68°7. 
In another—Cut : split ; : 100 : 67°4. 
Yet here the only clear geotropism that took place was among 
the split roots. 
Thus Wiesner’s argument falls to the ground, for, if retarded 
growth were the cause of ‘* cut” roots being less geotropic than 
uninjured ones, it is clear that ‘‘split” ought to be even less 
geotropic than the ‘‘cut” roots, instead of exactly the reverse 
of this being the case. 
The results here given are of some general interest, as showing, 
that although geotropism is a phenomenon of growth, it need 
not necessarily be subject to strictly the same conditions as 
undisturbed growth. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE 
CAMBRIDGE.—The following lectures on natural science are 
being given this term ;— 
Chemistry and Physics: Prof. Liveing on General Principles 
of Chewistry ; Mr. Sell (Demonstrator), Elementary Chemistry ; 
General Course, Mr. Main, St. John’s College ; Organic Che- 
mistry, Mr. P. Muir, Caius College ; Sound, Mr. Trotter, Trinity 
College ; Electricity and Magnetism, Mr. Garnett, St. John’s 
College; Papers on Elementary Physics, Mr. Shaw, Emmanuel 
College; Elementary Optics and Electricity, Mr. Glazebrook, 
Trinity College; Crystallography, Prof. Lewis; Physics (ad- 
vanced), Mr. Garnett, St. John’s College ; Advanced Demonstra- 
tions on Light, Elasticity, and Sound, will be given by Mr. 
Glazebrook, and Mr. Shaw will give elementary demonstrations 
on Optics and Electricity, both in the Cavendish Laboratory. 
Practical Chemistry, in the University, St. John’s, and Caius 
College Laboratories. 
Biology :—Elementary, Dr. Michael Foster ; Advanced Physio- 
logy, Mr. Langley ; Physiology of Respiration and Animal Heat, 
Dr. Gaskell; the Eye and Vision, Mr. Lea; Physiology, for 
Tripos and 2nd M.B., Mr. Hill, Downing College; Human 
Anatomy, Demonstrations for Tripos students, Dr. Creighton ; 
Mechanics of Human Skeleton, Mr. McAlister, at old Ana- 
tomical School; Mr. Sedgwick, Embryology of Mammals and 
Birds, in Mr, Balfour’s Laboratory, followed by practical work ; 
Advanced Course on Mammalia, by the Demonstrator of Com- 
parative Anatomy at New Museums. In Botany, Prof. Babington 
will lecture on Morphology and Classification; Dr, Vines, on 
Morphology, chiefly Cryptogamic, with practical work, at 
Christ’s College; Mr. Saunders, on Histology, at Downing 
College, Mr. Hicks, Sidney College, papers in Elementary 
Botany. Mr. Vines is also giving an elementary course of 
lectures on General Physiology and Life History of Typical 
Plants, in the Botanical Lecture Room, New Museum, 
Geology :—Prof. Hughes, Stratigraphical Geology, the district 
around Cambridge ; Fossil Echinids and Corals, and also Petro- 
logy, Mr. Tawney; Elementary Geology, Dr. Roberts; Class 
Work, Mr. Marr; Field Lectures, Prof. Hughes. 
The Demonstrator of Mechanism is lecturing on Applied 
Mechanics at the Museum of Mechanism; and the workshops 
and drawing office are open for practical work. 
Prof. Stokes is lecturing on Optics. 
C. N. Adams (Exeter School) and S. Skinner (Dulwich 
College) have been recommended for Natural Science Open 
Scholarships at Christ’s College. 
At Newnham College Mr. Garnett is lecturing on Dynamics, 
Miss Scott on Integral Calculus, and Miss Harland on Euclid 
and Algebra. 
THE Spring Session of the Royal Agricultural College, Ciren- 
cester, ended on Wednesday, 19th inst., when the diploma, 
certificates, and prizes were distributed to the successful candi- 
dates by Prof. Nevil Story-Maskelyne, M.P., who has been 
recently elected to the Council of the College. Mr. Maskelyne, 
in his address to the students, pointed out the great value of a 
study of the l»wer organisms, and the immense influence which 
these have on the pursuit of agriculture, as is seen in the process 
of nitrification, the changes taking place in milk, in cheese, and 
the like. 
At St. John’s College, L. J. Fulle: has been elected to a 
Natural Science Exhibition. : 
At Trinity College W. B. Ransom (2nd year) has been 
elected to a Foundation Scholarship; H. Wilson Fox, H. 
Head, M. Miley, G. P. Bidder, and W. Gordon, to Exhi- 
bitions; and J. R. Green to a Foundation Sizorship; all for 
Natural Science. 
EDINBURGH.—Prof. James Cossar Ewart, M.D., has been 
appointed to the Chair of Natural History in Edinburgh Uni- 
versity, vacant by the resignation of Prof. Ray Lankester. 
Prof, Ewart at present holds the corresponding chair in the 
University of Aberdeen. 
SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 
WE have received Nos. 44, 45, and 46 of the Scottish Naturalist. 
The papers on Scotch botany and zoology continue to be of 
great interest; and to these are added an occasional one on 
Scotch geology. No. 46 (April) contains a report of an inte- 
resting lecture, by Prof. Traill, on ‘*‘ The Modes of Dispersion 
of the Seeds of Scottish Wild Plants.” 
Fournal of the Franklin Institute, March,—A new theory of 
the suspension system with stiffening truss (continued), by A. J. 
Du Bois. The adhesion of flat driving belts, by R. Grimshaw. 
—Car-journal boxes, with Wendell’s latest improvement, by C. 
H. Roney.—Thompson’s patent wet pulveriser, by the same.— 
A new method of determining phosphoric acid, by H. Pember- 
ton, jun.—The analysis of iron ores containing both phosphoric 
and titanic acids, by T. M. Drown and P. W. Shimer. The 
condition of sulphur in coal and its relations to coking, by T. M. 
Drown.—Natural filtration at Berlin, by W. R. Nichols. —Silk 
culture in the United States, by L. Blodget. 
Bulletin de ? Academie Royale des Sciences de Belgique, No. 1, 
1882.—On a sure astronomical criterion of the existence of a 
fluid layer within the terrestrial crust, by M. Folie.—A small 
illusion, by M. Plateau.—New observations of the effects of 
lightning on trees placed near a telegraph wire, by M. Montigny. 
—Influence of respiration on the circulation (third paper), by 
M. Fredericq.—On a method of determination of latitude, by 
M. Adam.—Researches on the dialysis of arable soils, by M. 
Petermann.—On the excretory apparatus of rhabdoccel and den- 
droccel Turbellarians, by M. Francotta.—New parasitic worms 
of Uromastix acanthinurus, by M. Fraipont.—Dynamo-electric 
