Page:Life Movements in Plants.djvu/63

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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.