the Stems of Plants. By T. A. Knight, Esq. 3 



The extent to which the diameter of the stem of a plant, 

 comparatively with its length, may be increased by the means 

 above-mentioned, is probably much greater than will easily 

 be credited. A Dahlia plant of a year old, and growing in 

 a pot, in the forcing-house which I usually devote to expe- 

 riment, presented, in the spring of 1817, astern, which at 

 half its height from the mould, exceeded an inch in diameter 

 when it was only twenty-two inches high ; though the expe- 

 riment was made in April and May, and of course before 

 the sun had nearly acquired its full powers, and under glass 

 of by no means good quality. But both myself and my 

 gardener had frequent occasion to enter the house ; and 

 neither of us, I believe, ever passed the plant without bend- 

 ing it ; which ultimately became an operation which required 

 very considerable force. The Dahlia is not, however, one 

 of those plants which can receive benefit by this mode of 

 treatment ; for the excessive strength of the stem would only 

 expose the soft and succulent branches to more certain 

 destruction upon the plant being removed into the open air : 

 and I mention the result of the experiment merely to illus- 

 trate the effects of the process I have recommended. 



