Results of 11/21/04 Inspection
Mood:  celebratory
Here are the results of my inspection of the AV leaves conducted on 11/21/04. The following definitions are used:
Long roots=Roots >1? or longer.
Medium roots=Roots between <1? and >1/4?.
Short roots=Roots <1/4?.
Many=More than 5.
Few=5 or less.
Bottom=Roots growing out of bottom of stem along cut edge.
Side=Roots growing along whole side of stem.
Babies=Little leaves growing out of the stem of the original parent leaf.
Notes in italics are notes that are either interesting or different from most AV leaves.

For the first 24 leaves (in water and in paper towels), I was able to inspect the roots on each leaf. For leaves 25-60 I was unwilling to remove the leaves from the soil mixtures, so my observations were limited to anything showing on or above the soil.

STALK SUSPENDED IN WATER ONLY
1-2 long roots, many short roots, bottom.
2-LEAF DEAD.
3-Many short roots, bottom. 3 medium roots growing on middle of stem on top of plastic, suspected due to sitting water along slit in plastic.
4-LEAF DEAD.
5-2 medium roots, few short roots, bottom. 5 babies (about 1/8? long) protruding from bottom underwater.
6-3 long roots, many short roots, bottom.
7-3 long roots, many medium roots, bottom. 6 babies (about 1/8? long) protruding from bottom underwater.
8-6 medium roots, many short roots, bottom.
9-3 long roots, many short roots, bottom.
10-Many medium roots, bottom. Water level in cup very low, refilled with appropriate water.
11-Many short roots, bottom.
12-Many short roots, bottom.

STALK PLACED IN DAMP PAPER TOWEL
13-4 long roots, few short roots, bottom.
14-4 long roots, few short roots, bottom. Slight mold on paper towel.
15-Many short roots, side. Large amount of mold near bottom of stem around roots and on paper towel, suspected due to large amount of rooting compound.
16-Many long roots, side. Light slightly limp. Slight mold on paper towel.
17-2 medium roots, bottom. 2 babies (about ?? long) protruding from bottom.
18-1 long roots, few short roots, bottom. 5 babies (about ?? long) protruding from bottom. Slight mold on paper towel.
19-Many short roots, side.
20-Few short roots, side. Leaf very limp. Slight mold on paper towel.
21-2 long roots, few short roots, bottom.
22-1 long root, few short roots, bottom. Slight mold on paper towel.
23-Many short roots, side. Slight mold on paper towel.
24-Many short roots, side. Leaf very limp. Slight mold on paper towel.

STALK BURIED IN A 50% PEAT MOSS/50% PERLITE MIXTURE
25-No babies.
26-LEAF DEAD.
27-No babies.
28-No babies.
29-No babies.
30-No babies.
31-No babies.
32-No babies.
33-No babies.
34-No babies.
35-No babies. 3 short roots ?? above soil on stem, suspected due to rooting compound on stem.
36-No babies.

STALK BURIED IN AFRICAN VIOLET POTTING SOIL
37-No babies.
38-No babies.
39-No babies.
40-LEAF DEAD.
41-No babies.
42-No babies.
43-No babies.
44-No babies.
45-No babies.
46-No babies.
47-No babies.
48-No babies.

STALK BURIED IN NORMAL POTTING SOIL
49-No babies.
50-No babies.
51-LEAF DEAD.
52-No babies.
53-No babies.
54-No babies.
55-No babies.
56-No babies.
57-No babies.
58-No babies.
59-No babies.
60-No babies. 2 roots poking 1/8? out of soil.


CONCLUSIONS THUS FAR FROM FIRST 24 LEAVES (AND REASONING)
-When rooting compound is used, roots will grow along the length of the stem. Thus, when not using rooting compound, roots will only grow out of the bottom of the stem along the cut edge.
(6 of 6 leaves in paper towels with rooting compound used experienced root growth along the side, while 6 of 6 leaves in paper towels without rooting compound used experienced root growth only out of the bottom of the stem along the cut edge.)
-Rooting compound placed on stems which will be placed in water will not encourage root growth along the length of the stem.
(5 of 5 leaves with rooting compound in water experienced root growth only out of the bottom of the stem along the cut edge.
-Stems which use only plain water or ?fertilized? water experienced more long root growth.
(Plain water: 4 of 6 experienced long root growth, and the other 2 of 6 experienced medium root growth. ?Fertilized water?: 4 of 5 experienced long root growth, and the other 1 of 5 experienced medium root growth. Rooting compound and plain water: 1 of 6 experienced long root growth. Rooting compound and ?fertilized? water: 1 of 5 experienced long root growth, and 1 of 5 experienced medium root growth.)
-Stems which use rooting compound and rooting compound with ?fertilized? water experienced more short root growth.
(Rooting compound and plain water: 5 of 6 experienced only short root growth. Rooting compound and ?fertilized? water: 3 of 5 experienced only short root growth.)
-Rooting compound and ?fertilized? water, when used on stems wrapped in paper towels, cause the leaves to become limp. One hypothesis is that the leaf exerts more energy to grow roots, therefore causing the leaf to become limp.
(1 of 3 leaves with stems wrapped in paper towels and using rooting compound AND ?fertilized? water is slightly limp, and the other 2 of 3 are very limp.)
-?Fertilized? water, rooting compound, and a combination of the two, when used on stems wrapped in paper towels, experience a high probability of mold growth on the paper towels, while plain water used on them has virtually no probability of mold growth on the paper towel.
(Plain water: 3 of 3 had no evidence of mold. ?Fertilized? water: 3 of 3 had slight mold. Rooting compound: 1 of 3 had no evidence of mold, 1 of 3 had slight mold, and 1 of 3 had heavy mold. Rooting compound and ?fertilized? water: 3 of 3 had slight mold.)


CONCLUSIONS THUS FAR FROM ALL 60 LEAVES (REASONING)
-Thus far, AV leaves have an almost equal chance, i.e. 91.7%, chance of survival in the first month. Leaves with stems suspended in water have a lower chance, i.e. 83.3% chance of survival in the first month. Leaves with stems wrapped in paper towels have a 100% chance of survival in the first month, although 1 of 12 leaves are limp and 2 of 12 leaves are very limp and may be near dying.
(Only 1 of 12 leaves has died in each of the soil mixtures. 2 of 12 leaves suspended in water died. No leaves with stems wrapped in paper towels have died, although 1 is slightly limp and 2 are very limp and may be near dying.)
-This conclusion may not be accurate, as it is only based on visual inspection on the first 24 leaves and the same inspection was not possible on the last 36 leaves. However, plain water has a higher probability of encouraging the formation of babies early, using ?fertilized? water and rooting compound separately has nearly equal probabilities of early baby formation, and ?fertilized? water and rooting compound together have a low probability of early baby formation.
(2 of 6 leaves in plain water have babies. 1 of 5 leaves in ?fertilized? water have babies. 1 of 6 leaves in rooting compound have babies. 0 of 5 leaves in ?fertilized? water and rooting compound have babies.)