EFFECT OF BOG WATER ON SWELLING 



95 



Bog water and an equivalent calcium solution, allow equal 

 swelling, but the increase in swamp water is much less and also 

 less than in the equivalent calcium solution to which may be 

 attributed most of the retarding effect of the swamp water. 

 ^.The capacity of the biocolloids varies with the proportion 

 between the carbohydrates and the proteins and protein deriva- 

 tives. A mixture was now made up which contained not only 

 a high nitrogen content but a second carbohydrate, while five 

 albuminous compounds were included. For this purpose 70 

 parts agar, 5 parts each of dextrose, peptone, gelatine, asparagin, 

 nucleinic acid and bean-protein were suitably liquefied and 

 poured into plates which dried down to a thickness of 0.2 mm. 

 Swellings of sections of these plates at 15°C. gave the following 

 increases at the end of twenty-four hours. 



The total swelling in distilled water for this biocolloid is low 

 although it is to be noted that swellings as high as 1200% in 

 distilled water have been measured at temperatures of 18 to 

 20°C. 



Sections from plates made up as above but to which had been 

 added 0.8% of nutritive salts gave increases as follows at tem- 

 peratures of 15°C. 



