189 



houses of the New York Botanical Garden under the same con- 

 ditions as those of the plants of Sarracenia. 



Potassium Nitrate. — A dilute solution of potassium nitrate 

 (w/1024) proved harmless at the end of nine days as far as could 

 be determined from external appearances, but after twelve days 

 the pitcher began to wither. 



Sachs's Nutrient Solution. — Nepenthes pitchers were somewhat 

 more resistant to the nutrient solution than those of Sarracenia, 

 as the withering of tissues was not apparent until about eight 

 days had elapsed from the time the solution was put into the 

 pitchers. 



Liebig's Meat Extract. — Nepenthes pitchers proved more 

 resistant to the dilute solution of Liebig's meat extract than 

 Sarracenia, as the pitcher contents did not seem foul and the 

 pitchers did not decay during the two weeks which the solution 

 was allowed to remain in them. This may have been due to the 

 digestion of the bacteria by infusoria, which were present in large 

 numbers. Of course it is possible that bacteria were digested 

 by the proteolytic enzyme, nepenthin. 



II. Effects on Carbohydrates 

 Glucose. — A 10 per cent, solution of glucose was placed in 

 pitchers of Sarracenia and allowed to remain from four days to 

 three weeks. With Fehling solution they gave the reddish brown 

 coloration promptly in every case, on heating, which indicates that 

 at least some of the glucose remained, although no tests were 

 made to determine the absence of reducing substances that might 

 have been produced from the glucose. The quantity of the latter 

 was naturally diminished by ordinary fermentation. There were 

 no indications of a detrimental influence exerted by any of the 

 fermentation products. The a-naphthol test indicated in each 

 case the presence of much carbohydrate. 



Sucrose. — Solutions of cane sugar (sucrose, c.p.) of a very 

 low degree of concentration (less than i per cent.) were intro- 

 duced into the pitchers of Sarracenia. 



There was no apparent bad effect. Further trials with stronger 

 solutions were made until it was found that a solution of 33^ 



