170 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



According to this hypothesis one salt antagonizes or neutralizes the 

 toxic etiect of iiiuitlior and a certain balance or equilibrium is attained 

 in the solution. The blood of animals, sea water and in all probability 

 the soil solution are physioUxjically balanced solutions. If this view 

 of the role of salts finds substantiation by further studies it will, in 

 all probability, lead to problems of great value to the farmer, for it is 

 an accepted fact that the soil solution wliith bathes the root hairs is the 

 direct source of the mineral elements which the plant receives, and one 

 may also justly conclude that the soil solution is a physiological I3' 

 luihinced s<dution for such plants as thrive on the soil fi-om which the 

 solution was derived. 



In si>ite of many investigations it is not yet cleai- \\li;it constituents 

 of the soil are absolutely needful for ])lants in :i initiitive sense. For 

 examjile. lime, one of the most important elcniciits, in all i»robability 

 exerts a protective or corrective function. The bulk of experiments on 

 tiie application of fertilizers and even our general agricultural i»ractice 

 fail to consider the elfect of such fertilizer treatment on ihe soil solu- 

 tion. The present methods are not based on the jiriiiciples of halanccd 

 .solutions. The ])henomen<)n of adsorption undoubtedly ]>lays ;in im- 

 ]»ortant role in all soil problems and what relation this holds lo the 

 subject of halanccd solutions is as yet to be detennined. Whether, among 

 other factors, it lieljjs to attain a balance in the soil solution or not is of 

 fundamental value. 



The problem as roughly outlined above has been so far of laboratory 

 nature and has led to the publication of a preliminary paper entitled 

 "The Antitoxic Action of rhlornl Ilydrnte and Copper Suliilmte for 

 J'isiini satinini." This ])aper appears in the Central blatt fur IJakter- 

 iologie. Already experiments have been started in the field and for 

 this jmrpose we are using the large zinc cans ind)edded in the soil. 

 Much of the work has been a study of methodobtgy or the inijuove- 

 ments in such. It is gratifying to rep<n't therefore, upon another jtajier 

 which will appear in ])reliminary form in the Fourteenth Report of 

 the Michigan Academy of Science. This method contemplates a I'adi- 

 cal change in the cu-dinary Kohlniusch method in that a dynamometer 

 actuated by an alternating current su]tercedes the old telei>hone and in- 

 duction coil. In CO operation with Prof. C. W. Chapman of the Physics 

 depaHment a complete report on this improved method is being ])ut 

 into shai)e for publication according to the director's wishes. In this 

 pai»er the different methods are compared to relative accuracy, quickness 

 and ease of manipulation. 



The work of teaching in the college engrosses more and more time 

 although three fourths of my time should belong to the l^xperiment 

 Station. This could be readily avoided if facilities were at hand such 

 as a storekeeper, and laboratory assistant could provide to take c;ire of 

 certain routine jtarts of the laboratory work in teaching. 



Respect full V submitted, 



R. r. nir.p.ARD. 



Reseai"ch AssistnnI in Plant IMivsiologv. 

 Fast Lansing, Mich.. June 30, 1913. 



