Waves in Plants,' 'On
Multiple Response in Plants,' 'On an enquiry into the cause of Automatic
Movements.'

"These new contributions" made by Dr. Bose on Plant Response "were
regarded as of such great importance that the Royal Society showed its
special appreciation by recommending them to be published in their
Philosophical Transactions. But the same influence, which had hitherto
stood in his way, triumphed once more, and it was at the very last
moment that the publication was withheld. The Royal Society, however,
informed him that his results were of fundamental importance, but as
they were so wholly unexpected and so opposed to the existing theories,
that they would reserve their judgment until, at some future time,
plants themselves could be made to record their answers to questions put
to them. This was interpreted in certain quarters here as the final
rejection of Dr. Bose's theories by the Royal Society and the limited
facilities which he had in the prosecution of his researches were in
danger of being withdrawn."[20]

HE BUILT HIS LIFE ON THE ROCK OF FAITH

But these difficulties--sufficient to crush many a spirit--could hardly
quench the ardour of his burning soul, which was 'hungering and
thirsting' for the establishment of a truth in which he had a firm
Faith. Though the surges would beat against him, he would not give way.
With the true spirit of a _Sadhak_, he devoted himself to the
realisation of the great dream of his life. And, for the next ten years,
the one _tap_, _jap_ and _aradhana_ of his life--the one all-engrossing
idea of his mind--was how to make the plant give testimony by means of
its own autograph.

PUBLICATION OF "PLANT RESPONSE"

Though his researches did not find an outlet, in the Proceedings of the
Royal Society, he did not lose heart. He brought out, in April 1906, a
systematic treatise--"The Plant Response as a Means of Physiological
Investigation"--in which he incorporated the results of his
investigations on plant life.

ADOPTS A NEW METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

Hitherto Dr. Bose detected the various excitatory effects of plants by
means of _mechanical response_. Being now confronted with opposition, he
turned his attention to the finding of corroboration of the various
results, which he had already obtained, by some other method of
investigation. And for this he employed the method of _electric
response_. He found that the results obtained by this new method of
inquiry co