VEGETATIVE ORGANS OF PLANTS. 377 



leaves, was transplanted into a large glass funnel filled 

 with garden soil, the throat of the funnel heing closed 

 with a paper filter. The funnel was supported in the 

 mouth of a large glass jar, and its neck reached nearly to 

 the bottom of the latter, where it Just dipped into a 

 quantity of water. The soil in the funnel was at first 

 kept moderately moist by occasional waterings. The 

 plant remained fresh and slowly grew, putting forth new 

 leaves. After tlie lapse of several weeks, four strong 

 roots penetrated the filter and extended down the empty 

 funnel-neck, through which they emerged, on the 21st 

 of June, and thenceforward spread rapidly in the water 

 of the jar. From this time on, the soil was not watered 

 any more, but care was taken to maintain the supply in 

 the jar. The plant continued to develop slowly ; its 

 leaves, however, did not acquire a vivid green color, but 

 remained pale and yellowish ; they did not wither until 

 the usual time, late in autumn. The roots continued to 

 grow, and filled the water more and more. Near the 

 end of December the plant had seven or eight leaves, and 

 a height of eight inches. The water-roots were vigorous, 

 very long, and beset with numerous fibrils and buds. In 

 the funnel tube the roots made a perfect tissue of fibers. 

 In the dry earth of the funnel they were less extensively 

 developed, yet exhibited some juicy buds. The stem 

 and the young axillary leaf-buds were also full of sap. 

 The water-roots being cut away, the plant was put into 

 , garden soil and placed in a conservatory, where it grew 

 vigorously, and in May bore two offshoots. (Henneberg's 

 Jour, far Landwirthschaft, 1863, p. 280. ) This growth 

 towards water must be accounted for on the principles 

 asserted in the paragraph. Apparent Search for Food 

 (p. 263). 



The seeds of many ordinary land plants — of plants, 

 indeed, that customarily grow in a dry soil, such as the 

 bean, squash, maize, etc. — will readily germinate in 



