[From the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 32 : 1-34. 1905.] 



Chemical stimulation of a green alga* 



Burton Edward Livingston 



OUTLINE 



Page 



Introductory ! 



Methods 4 



Experimentation. 



I. Preliminary " 



II. Statement of results 8 



III. Discussion of responses. 



1 . The response of death 20 



2. The response in phenomena of growth 21 



3. The response in phenomena of reproduction 24 



Literature.. 2 5 



Nature of toxicity 33 



Summary 34 



Introductory 

 That certain activities of plants, notably that of growth, are 

 accelerated by many mineral poisons when the latter are applied 

 in very great dilution has long been known in a general way. 

 The nature of this toxic stimulation and how it is brought about 

 are, however, as little known as are the vital functions themselves. 

 Indeed, until very recently no quantitative data have been avail- 

 able regarding such responses, either in plants or animals. Thus 

 it appeared worth while to undertake a comparative study of toxic 

 stimulation, using a single form of plant and as large a number of 

 poisons as possible. The present paper embodies the results of 



* The principal part of the investigations described in this paper was carried on at 

 the New York Botanical Garden by the aid of a research scholarship from that institu- 

 tion during September to December, 1903. 



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