Jump to content

Page:Life Movements in Plants.djvu/63

From Wikisource
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ACTION OF STIMULUS ON VEGETABLE TISSUES
33

ponse. In this type of recorders, the circular magnet is therefore excited at longer intervals, from several seconds to several minutes; this is done by completion of the electric circuit at the required intervals, by means of a key operated by a clock.

3. The Mechanical Tapper.—In this, magnetic tapping is discarded in favour of mechanical tapping. The hinged writing lever is periodically pressed against the recording plate by a long arm, actuated by clock-work.

4. The Oscillating Recorder.—Here the plate itself is made to oscillate to-and-fro by eccentric worked by a clock. The frame carrying the plate moves on ball-bearings. The advantage of the Oscillating Recorder lies in the fact that a long lever, made of line glass libre, or of aluminium wire, may be employed for giving high magnification. A magnification of a hundred times may be easily obtained by making the short arm 2·5 mm. and the long arm 25 cm. in length.[1]


RESPONSE OF A RADIAL ORGAN.

Experiment 10.—As a typical example I shall describe the response of a straight tendril of Passiflora. A cut specimen was mounted with its lower end in water. Suitable electric connections were made for sending a feeble induction shock of short duration through the specimen. In this and all other records, unless contrary be stated, up-curve represents contractile movement. On application of stimulus of electric shock, an excitatory movement of contraction occurred which shortly reached its maximum; the apex-time was one minute and forty seconds, and recovery was completed after a further period of five minutes

  1. Bose—"Researches on Irritability of Plants," p. 279— Longmans, Green & Co.