„Some observations on the longitudinal growth of stems and flower-stalks”

Superficial observation already shows that in many cases the growth of stems, leaf- and flower-stalks is greatly dependent on the organs which they bear: buds, leaf-lamina, flowers. When these latter are removed the growth of the axial parts is generally arrested and they even die after a shorter or longer time. In literature I have found no mention made of investigations, attempting to analyse this phenomenon more closely; e.g. in the case of flower-stalks, to find out whether excision .of certain parts of the flower had as much influence on the growth of the stalk as the removal of the entire flower. I have now been able to make this out for some vernal plants by measurements of growth and I shall in what follows give a short account of the results.