I have shewn, in a former communication, the effects of centrifugal force upon germinating seeds; from which I have inferred that the radicles are made to descend towards the earth, and the germs, or elongated plumules, to take the opposite direction, by the influence of gravitation; and I believe the facts I have stated to be sufficient to support the inferences I have drawn. But the fibrous roots of plants, being much less succulent, though not uninfluenced in the directions they take by gravitation, are, to a great extent, obedient to other laws, and are generally found to extend themselves most rapidly, and to the greatest length, in whatever direction the soil is most favourable: whence many naturalists have been disposed to believe that these are guided by some degrees of feeling and perception, analogous to those of animal life. I shall proceed to state some of the facts upon which this hypothesis has been founded, and others which have occurred in the course of my own experience, and which are favourable to it; after which I shall endeavour to trace the effects observed to the operation of different causes.
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Tho. And. Knight (1811) studied this question.