Experiment 6.—A young and concave leaf was selected with its margins
slightly and naturally incurved. Two rather large, oblong, rectangular
pieces of roast meat were placed with their ends touching the infolded
edge, and .46 of an inch (11.68 mm.) [page 373] apart from one another.
After 24 hrs. the margin was greatly and equally incurved (see fig. 16)
throughout this space, and for a length of .12 or .13 of an inch (3.048
or 3.302 mm.) above and below each bit; so that the margin had been
affected over a greater length between the two bits, owing to their
conjoint action, than beyond them. The bits of meat were too large to
be clasped by the margin, but they were tilted up, one of them so as to
stand almost vertically. After 48 hrs. the margin was almost unfolded,
and the bits had sunk down. When again examined after two days, the
margin was quite unfolded, with the exception of the naturally
inflected edge; and one of the bits of meat, the end of which had at
first touched the edge, was now .067 of an inch (1.70 mm.) distant from
it; so that this bit had been pushed thus far across the blade of the
leaf.
FIG. 16. (Pinguicula vulgaris.) Outline of leaf, with right margin
inflected against two square bits of meat.
Experiment 7.—A bit of meat was placed close to the incurved edge of a
rather young leaf, and after it had re-expanded, the bit was left lying
.11 of an inch (2.795 mm.) from the edge. The distance from the edge to
the midrib of the fully expanded leaf was .35 of an inch (8.89 mm.); so
that the bit had been pushed inwards and across nearly one-third of its
semi-diameter.
Experiment 8.—Cubes of sponge, soaked in a strong infusion of raw meat,
were placed in close contact with the incurved edges of two leaves,—an
older and younger one. The distance from the edges to the midribs was
carefully measured. After 1 hr. 17 m. there appeared to be a trace of
incurvation. After 2 hrs. 17 m. both leaves were plainly inflected; the
distance between the edges and midribs being now only half what it was
at first. The incurvation increased slightly during the next 4 1/2
hrs., but remained nearly the same for the next 17 hrs. 30 m. In 35
hrs. from the time when the sponges were placed on the leaves, the
margins were a little unfolded—to a greater degree in the younger than
in the older leaf. The latter was not quite unfolded until the third
day, and now both bits of sponge were left at the distance of .1 of an
inch (2.54 mm.) from the edges; or about a quarter of the distance
between the edge and midrib. A third bit of sponge adhered to the edge,
and, as the margin unfolded, was dragged backwards, into its original
position. [page 374]
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