[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 24°— 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. 9° 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.