4 JANUARY 1930, Page 27

Although Sir Jagadis Bose has nothing of startling novelty to

offer to the general reader in his new volume of researches into plant-physiology—Growth and Tropic Movement of Plants (Longmans, 21s.)—he has made an important scientific contribution on the autonomous activity of growth in plants, the effect of anaesthetics on growth, mechanotropism and twining of tendrils, phototropism, and kindred subjects. Phrases such as "the fundamental principle is that growth is retarded by strong, and accelerated by weak stimulation of whatever kind" (and there are many pointers showing that Sir Jagadis, however immersed he may be in amazingly delicate and difficult experiments, keeps always the lofty outlook of the philosopher) lead us to hope that he may soon bring out another volume for the general public.