M. DutrocheCs Discoveries in Vegetable Physiology. 109 



the accumulation of fluid take place on the side where the 

 fluid ascends the least in the capillary tubes. Thus we find 

 here a constant relation between the phenomenon of the accu- 

 mulation of fluids and the phenomenon of capillary attractions. 

 Let us proceed to examine other fluids. 



The height of the ascent of distilled water in a capillary 



tube being represented by - - 100 



Olive oil rises in the same tube to - 67 



Essential oil of lavender rises to - 58 



Alcohol at 36° rises to - - 47 



Olive oil being placed in connection by means of a separating 

 organic membrane, with essential oil of lavender, we seethe 

 accumulation of fluid effected on the side where the olive oil 

 is, that is to say on the side where we find the fluid which 

 ascends the most in the capillary tubes. This action, which 

 is very weak, requires, in order to become appreciable, a tem- 

 perature not less than 59° Fahr. 



If by the same means we place in connexion the essential oil 

 of lavender with alcohol, we shall see the accumulation of fluid 

 take place on the side of the essential oil, that is to say, on the 

 side where the fluid rises highest in the capillary tube. This 

 action is stronger than the preceding one. The essential oil of 

 turpentine comports itself in these experiments like the essen- 

 tial oil of lavender, and I think it ought to be the same with 

 other essential oils. 



In these last experiments, we observe between the accumu- 

 lation of fluid and the capillary action a new relation, and the 

 inverse of that which has been noticed above. In the first 

 experiments, indeed, the accumulation of fluid took place on 

 the side where the Jluid ascended the least in capillary tubes ; 

 while in the second experiments, the same accumulation of fluid 

 took place, on the contrary, on the side where the fluid as- 

 cended the most in capillary tubes. Thus it is demonstrated, 

 that the accumulation of fluids in these experiments is not in 

 constant relation with the manner in which these same fluids 

 comport themselves in reference to capillary attraction, and it 

 follows that capillary action is not the cause of the phenomenon 

 of accumulation. This fact, and that of the simultaneous ex- 

 istence of two inequal currents flowing in an inverse direction 



