228 FREAKS OF PLANT LIFE. 



experiment was prolonged for twenty-five minutes,, 

 the organism seemed to become entirely exhausted,, 

 and the following day was found withered and 

 blackened, as though struck by lightning. 



Some interesting observations have been made by 

 Dr. Maxwell Masters on the effects of ether upon 

 plants, which have a relationship to this phase of the 

 subject. He writes i 1 " On allowing a drop of ether ta 

 fall on one of the leaflets of Mimosa pudica from a 

 height of five or six inches, contraction of the leaflet 

 instantly took place, and was immediately followed 

 by the motion, in successive order, of the adjacent 

 folioles, proceeding from the apex towards the stalk 

 of the leaf. When, on the other hand, the drop of 

 ether was placed as gently as possible on the surface,, 

 the leaflet did not move, but seemed paralysed by 

 the anaesthetic agent, while the adjacent ones, not 

 touched by the ether, moved as in the preceding 

 case. Ether spray applied with the jet had precisely 

 similar effect. When the spray fell directly on the 

 leaflets, that is, with some force, the impact of the 

 falling drops counteracted any paralysing power that 

 the ether might have ; but when the spray was so- 

 directed as not to fall directly or with force on the 

 leaflets, then such of them as came within its in- 

 fluence were rendered motionless, the adjacent folioles 



i " Popular Science Review," vii., p. 30. 



