[26]

Dec. 25th/77 Asparagus seedling under ground

(Used)

N. B. Little seedling one & 2 or 3 tenths of inch above ground, with surrounded by quite damp fine argillaceous sand, were surrounded by thin narrow open crack— no trace of crack elsewhere— certainly the result of nutation. Monocot. often much better evidence than Dicot. from disturbance of protrusion of the Cots.—

Dec. 25— removed earth & found tip of seedlings about 1/10' of inch beneath surface, removed earth all round for about 3/10 of inch all round & pressed firm, fixed with shell-glass filament, rather [sketch] obliquely & traced on horizontal glass, protected from light. Traced from 8° 50' to 7° 15 when went off glass— Traced on Horizontal glass in darkness— Tracing magnified 16 7/8 times.— See Tracing. At first I think certainly nutated, but the plant had grown beneath ground from some unknown cause & the movement from 11° to 7° 15 was chiefly apo-geotropism, but the line is zig-zag, showing some nutation

Next morning at 7° a.m. was off glass, but by X in a quite different direction. We may conclude nutates whilst beneath ground.

How much magnified

Dissect a seedling