554 The American Naturalist. [July, 
THE PATH OF THE WATER CURRENT IN CUCUM- 
BER PLANTS. 
By Erwin F. SMITH. 
(Continued from page 457). 
3. DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF ONE PER Cent EosINE WATER 
IN Cut Stems Not SEVERED From THEIR Roots. 
(No. 17). This was a young vine, 120 centimeters long, full 
of blossoms and young fruits and very thrifty; it bore about 
24 leaves, the largest five averaging 20 cm. in breadth. 
March 23, 3:20 P.M. The terminal 12 cm. of the stem was 
cut away under water and the stump bent over and plunged 
into 1 per cent eosine water. The sun shone hot and the air 
of the house was rather dry. 4:20 p.m. No trace of stain in 
the veins of any of the leaves. March 25, noon. It is now 
over 44 hours since the cut stem was plunged into the eosine 
water and judging from the quantity remaining in the bottle 
no measurable volume has gone down the stem. The external 
appearance, proceeding from above downwards, is as follows: 
The first internode (the one in the eosine and just above it) is 
badly shriveled and diffusely stained. The first leaf (9.5 em. 
from the cut end) is not quite as turgid as the rest, and its veins 
show a faint stain. The second internode (10 cm.) is pinkish 
green and in the grooves of the stem pink, especially toward 
the upper: end, seeming to indicate that most of the stain has 
passed through the inner ring of bundles. The veins of the 
second leaf are also distinctly but faintly pink. The petiole 
of this leaf is 9 cm. long and its blade 12 cm. broad, and the 
same pale stain is to be seen in all of the veins. Further down 
there is no external evidence of stain. The downward move- 
ment of the stain has, therefore, been very slight. 1:30 p. m. 
A long tendril from the second node shows a faint internal 
stain outward for a distance of 10 cm. On cutting, this is 
seen to be due to stain lodged in the bundles, while at its base 
there is also a little diffuse stain. The stain now shows 
