THE UNVOICED LIFE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10314, 25 January 1927, Page 5

THE UNVOICED LIFE

“SIXTH SENSE” OF PLANTS. Speaking in London recently under the auspices of the British-Indian Union on flic subject of “The Unvoiced Life.” Sir Jagadis Bose said that man’s pretension as a highly sensitive being received a shock when certain plants were found a great deal more sensitive than the lord of creation. It must, however, be admitted that the plant was practically deaf, for it was little affected by sound. The case was quite different in regard to light, for plants detected minute changes in the intensity of light unnoticed by the human eye. Still more wonderful was the wide range of its perception of different octaves of visible and invisible light. ■Of the multitudinous ether waves, the human retina responded to a single octave lying between red and violet. The plant-not only responded to the ultra-violet but also to the invisible wireless waves at the opposite end of the spectrum. It was not unlikely that the plant possessed a quite unsuspected “sixth sense,” for some of his records with plants showed a characteristic modification, due to the presence of certain individuals,, which persisted even after exclusion of the factor of radiation fr£>m the human body. A good deal oTfurther investigation was necessary for the solution of this very obscure problem. The deceptiveness of external appearances was illustrated by reference to the iamous “praying palm” which prostrated itself every evening as the temple hells called people to prayer at Far idpore. The tree appeared when erect in the morning like a living giant, twice the height of a man. Towards evening it leant forward, bowed down its head, and pressed the ground with its crown of leaves in an attitude or devotion. Investigation showed, however, that there was no .special sanctity attached to this performance, for all trees and their branches and leaves moved up and down in the course of the day unnoticed. The tree was never at rest-; it was in a state oi constant movement in definite response to stimulus from outside. In the plant, drooping and withering occurred long after death. How, then, did the plant give its last answer ( In man, at the moment of expiry a spasm passed through the whole bodj, and similarly in the plant a great contractile spasm occurred accompanied bv an electric spasm. In t-Ii script of the lecturer’s death-recorder the line that u pto this time was being drawn became suddenly reversed and then ended. This was the last answer of the plant. . These mute companions silently growsjg beside our door had told us the tale of their life tremulousness arid their deat.ispasm by the script that we could understand. The barriers which sepaiated kindred phenomenon were now thrown down,, and plantain! animal were found to be a multiple unity in a single ocean of being. Our sense ot wonder was quickened, not lessened, when we realised a kinship with all that lived.