20 N ewcombe, Sensitive Life of Asparagus plurnosus 
by digging the eartb away from tbe base of the aerial sboots tili 
unfolding bnds were found on tbe rhizome. None of tbese bnds 
were selected for experiment unless tbey bad lain beneatb at least 
a centimeter of eartb; many of tbem were 2 cm below tbe surface. 
To sbield tbese developing sboots from tbe light, cones were made 
of black cardboard. tbe smaller end 3 to 4 cm in diameter tbe 
/ 
larger about 15 cm in diameter. Tbese cones were about 50 cm 
in bigbt to Start with, and were easily extended to any desired 
bigbt by adding sections. To cover tbe young shoot, tbe eartb 
was cleared away about it for a space large enougb to receive 
tbe small end of tbe paper cone. Tbe pot was tben set on a 
beavy wooden base- to wbose sides bad been fastened 2 uprigbt 
wooden rods to serve as supports to tbe paper cone. Tbe cone 
was tben inverted over tbe bud on tbe rbizome and tied to tbe 
uprigbt rods. About tbe base of tbe cone tbe eartb was packed 
firmly to a deptb of one to two cm so as to exclude ligbt. Tbe 
upper, larger, end of tbe cone was covered witb several layers of 
black clotb, and over tbe clotb was pressed down a cap of black 
cardboard. Tbese covering cones were very seldom removed during 
tbe progress of tbe experiment. Provision was made for Obser¬ 
vation by cutting Windows in tbe sides of tbe cones, closing tbe 
Windows witb wrappings of black clotb or by partial cones of 
black paper sliding over tbe covering cones. A good many ob- 
servations could be made by removing tbe cap over tbe upper end 
of tbe cone, and using a mirror to tbrow ligbt into tbe cone. Tbe 
assimilating sboots were left to continue tbeir work outside tbe 
cones. 
Altogetber 20 sboots never exposed to ligbt bave been raised 
witbin tbese cones to bigbts varying from 30 cm to 200 cm, and 
observed for nutation. Tbe general result, as far as tbe assumption 
of tbe diageotropic position is concerned, bas been tbe absence of 
a fixed diageotropic position. Invariably tbe covered sboots bave 
begun to lower tbeir tips about tbe time tbey reacbed tbe bigbt 
of tbe next youngest sboot outside tbe cone; and invariably, if tbe 
experiment was continued long enougb, tbe tip bas risen again 
before reacbing tbe horizontal position, and continued growing 
erect for a period of days or weeks, to decline again later to 15° 
to 45 0 from tbe vertical, tbere to remain for a few bours to a 
few days, and again to assume tbe erect position. After one of 
tbese sboots bad reacbed a bigbt of a meter, more or less, its 
form was tbat of a straigbt cord except for an oblique portion, 
bere and tbere, of one to a few centimeters in lengtb, tbese oblique 
portions marking tbe positions at wb*cb tbe tip bad remained for 
several bours to several days at an angle between tbe vertical 
and horizontal. 
Tbe following typical examples of detailed behavior will serve 
to put tbe case more precisely before tbe reader: 
1) Covered sboot wben 4 cm fall declined 15° for 2 to 3 
brs. — erected and grew vertical 30 days — tben declined 35°, 
now 31 cm tall — after 1 day vertical again — after 12 brs. 
