NUTRITION OF DEOSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA. 



31 



and fed plants. The plates were placed in the hothouse ; and by 

 the middle of January, when the fresh leaves began to appear, it 

 was evident that more plants were springing up on the fed side of 

 the partition. The plates were then covered with the gauze 

 netting, and both sets of plants remained without food in the hot- 

 house. 



On April 3rd all the plants were carefully picked out from the 

 moss and thoroughly cleansed from adhering fragments ; they were 

 then counted, dried in a water-bath, and weighed. The fed and 

 starved plants*, when freshly gathered and before being dried, were 

 pressed together each into a separate handful ; the far greater mass 

 of fed plants was very evidently seen in this way. During the 

 processes of counting and cleansing the plants, I was struck by the 

 fact that the fed plants had a decidedly greater amount of root- 

 stock. 



The following Table gives the results of counting and weighing 



the plants. 



• Table X. 





Actual numbers Proportion between 

 and weights. starred and fed. 



» 



Starred. 



89 



Fed. 

 105 



grm. 



•518 



•0049 



Starved. 

 100 



Fed. 

 1180 







grm. 

 •206 

 •0023 



100 

 100 



251-6 

 2130 



Average weight per plant ... 



It will be seen that there is only a small difference (18 per cent.) 

 between the number of starved and fed plants ; a large number of 

 very minute offsets were found on both sides, and were all counted 

 as separate plants. Judging either by the total weight of plants 

 produced or by the average weight per plant, there can be no doubt 

 of the great advantage accruing to the fed plants. It is a striking 

 fact that in spite of the relatively enormous quantity of flower-stalk 



in 



able to lay by a far greater store of reserve material than their 

 starved competitors. 



Finally, it may be pointed out that this advantage of the fed 

 Drosera plants is one which would escape the notice of a casual 

 observer. 



* That is, the plants which sprang from the fed and starred sides of the par- 

 tition. 



