[47]

Cyclamen Persica

March 16'

Pot with several pods bowed down toward ground laid horizontally in greenhouse & the pods bowed soon bowed down at right angles to former course (is there not a note about this describing it more carefully???) & so I assumed was geotropism— On 24th Pot still horizontal was turned upside down, so pods all pointed vertically up & kept in dark cupboard in cool hot-house: by the Ap 1 ' 28th ie after one week hardly 4 days no or hardly any any bowing down.

The pot in same position was now bright back into light greenhouse & after 2 days some slight bowing down, & on —April 1st (ie after 4 days 2 pods bent down to surface of earth at right angle. On Ap. 2d 3 pods — on 3d all curved down— when pot placed upright it was at once seen how curious a position

[47v]

All these cases indicate that guide to bending down is apheliotropism The circumnutation is going in Geotropic [illeg]

(The fact of not bending down in dark cupboard shown not weight)

the pods occupied— Pods were cut off 2 peduncle, & these became a little bowed down but they tend to wither soon when pods cut off. —

Another pot was placed horizontally in dark cupboard on March 20th & on 26th & none except perhaps one very slightly were turned down. On 26th brought back & kept in same position into light greenhouse— & on 29th the stem with pod curved down somewhat & 2 stems with pods cut off considerably, but then doubt about their vigour. 31' rather more bowed down

[48]

March 20' 1879— Pot with Cyclamen Persica

Pot with long pod─ peduncles curved to ground — pot laid horizontally & in few days peduncles all curved & bent at right angles to former course— Possibly may be weight of Pod — or possibly Apheliotropism —

[49]

Cyclamen Persicum

A trustworthy Gardener (Mr Nash) assured me that when he placed pots with pods forming out of door if the soil was mossy & very loose the pods buried themselves, & I had seen that a very large pot made a slight saucer like depression in compact sand. —

He gave me one plant with 2 pods forming almost fully formed; the plant was in moderate pot & this A was placed in middle of very large one filled with sawdust rather coarse.—

Pod A Right-hand from observation .27 in diameter — peduncle forming a very large flat arch & 6 1/2 inches in length

Pod B (Left-Hand) .3 in diameter & peduncle forming a large flat arch 6 1/2 inches in length.

May 15— 1878.

After some weeks pods touched sawdust & A. buried itself slight — whilst B buried at least 3/4 of its length.— considering length & slenderness & position of peduncle this could be affected only by the movement or circumnutation of the pods.

[49bis]

Accordingly fine glass filaments fixed on several of peducles where it joined the pods— fixed transversely with [triangle] below & movement traced on Horizontal glass— but the movement was so small that I dare not trust my observations.

Ap. 16th The pods were lifted about 1/4 of inch above saw-dust by pins driven into stick & pressed under corner of arched peduncle & movement traced & now I think there cd be no doubt pods circumnutated; & this being so we may fairly infer that they circumnutated, but in a much less degree or rather rocked on the sawdust & thus partially buried themselves

Pod B when lifted up made 3 little circles in 24º— the tracing was had to be greatly magnified, but after we it was very difficult to obs make the dots on the glass accurately, but after many trials, I think circumnutation on a very small scale may be trusted. Pod A moved to one side in zig-zag course, & made, as I believe, one little circle.

[49v]

April 17th. 9º a.m. saw-dust flattened & pods laid on again.—

May 26th they have formed slight depression (& another pod in another pot buried itself alms 1/3 of depth of pod.)

June 15 1878 the pod [illeg] after the foregoing observations left on sawdust, & they made slight saucer-like depressions, which can I think only be accounted for by this continued rocking movement.