46 CHAP. V. EFFECT OF CHEMICAL AGENTS 



specimen was in a state of arrested growth, the effect of 

 apphcation of ether is of much interest. The record 

 (fig. 19, c) shows that ether brought about a renewal of growth 

 previously in a state of standstill. This renewal occurred 

 after an apphcation of several minutes, the growth persisting 

 for a long time. 



Effect of Chloroform 



Experiment 19. Petiole of Tropaeolum.- — The typical 

 effects of chloroform on growth in different organs are 

 given below. The preliminary effect of chloroform vapour, 

 like that of other anaesthetics, is an acceleration of the rate 

 of growth. With the petiole of Tropaeolum this occurred in 

 less than 2 minutes and persisted for a period of 90 seconds. 

 After a further period of 45 seconds grow^th became arrested ; 

 subsequently there was an abrupt contraction due to death- 

 spasm (fig. 20, a). 



Experiment 20. Peduncle of Centaurea. — The specimen 

 was in a state of arrested growth ; application of chloroform 

 vapour induced a vigorous renew^al of growth in the course 

 of 30 seconds. The renewal of growth occurred under a 

 small dose of the anaesthetic which persisted for 3 minutes, 

 after which there was an arrest followed by the spasmodic 

 death-contraction (fig. 20, b). 



Experiment 21. Crinum Lily.— The specimen in this 

 case was also in a state of arrested growth. Application 

 of chloroform renewed the growth in less than 30 seconds 

 (fig. 20, c). Under the continued action of chloroform the 

 revived growth, which had persisted for 2 minutes and 

 15 seconds, was arrested ; this was followed by a violent 

 spasmodic death-contraction. 



Experiment 22. Pistil of Datura. — The effect of chloro- 

 form on normal growth was a great enhancement which 

 occurred in the course of 30 seconds (fig. 20, d). This 

 persisted for nearly 2 minutes, after which there was an 

 arrest and subsequent spasmodic death-contraction. 



