on the green parts of Hibiscus vitifolius Linn. 203 



kept dry enough to remain free from outgrowths, they will not 

 root, but if kept damp enough to strike they always develope out- 

 growths. By October two of the cuttings were well rooted and 

 still appeared fairly healthy, though they had developed out- 

 growths. 



Other cuttings were made from the same plant in October 

 when it was brought in from the garden. 



By October 9th some of the seeds sown in August had 

 germinated. Twelve seedlings had come up from the seed of the 

 out-door plant, two from the seed of the plant in the Temperate 

 House, and not one from the seed of any of the other plants. 

 Seeds had been sown from all the plants except the one in the 

 Filmy Fern House, and that had not been able to ripen any 

 capsules. 



Comparison of the plants described above. 



The eight plants, considered from the point of view of their 

 behaviour to external influences, seem to fall into three groups, 

 represented by the following individuals. 



I. The vigorous and healthy plants, devoid of outgrowths. 

 (In the garden.) 



II. The feeble plant, with small leaves and few flowers, but 

 practically free from outgrowths. (In the Filmy Fern House.) 



III. The remaining plants, with small axillary branches 

 and with outgrowths on most of the leaves, which are usually 

 bent downwards and inwards. 



Of this third group the plant in the Temperate House stands 

 in some respects between the first group and the third. It 

 resembles the plants in the garden by its large flat leaves and 

 by the absence of outgrowths on the upper sides of the leaves, 

 but in habit and in the possession of outgrowths it is more like 

 the rest of the indoor plants. 



Conclusions as to the nature and the conditions of formation, 

 of the outgrowths. 



At present the evidence is insufficient to furnish any certain 

 conclusions, but as far as it goes it seems to point to the infer- 

 ence that the effects observed are produced by the direct influence 

 of external conditions. 



While the conditions were identical the eight plants were all 

 essentially alike, but as soon as these conditions were changed 

 the behaviour of the plants also began to differ ; and the greater 

 the change in external circumstances, the greater the effects 

 produced upon the plants. For example, the change from a warm 



