844 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



field in vegetable pbysiology. According to his conclusions there are 

 certain biological eflfects of light which demand examination. The 

 direct action of light upon certain physiological phenomena is but 

 little known. 



C.Flammarion' has reported the results of investigations on the 

 effect of different colors on the growth of plants. 



Mesnard'^ has shown the influence of light on the liberation of the 

 perfume of flowers. According to his results light, and not oxygen, 

 is the principal cause of the transformation and destruction of per- 

 fumes. The intensity of the perfume of a flower at any given time 

 depends upon the equilibrium established between the i)ressure of the 

 water in the cells which tends to expel the perfume already contained 

 in the cells of the epidermis and the action of the light which combats 

 this turgescence. In the memoir giving the detailed results ■ as well 

 as in i)revious papers^ numerous graphic curves are given which show 

 the influence of the factors which determine the intensity of perfumes. 

 The results are applicable Avhere plants are grown for their x)erfume. 



Another memoir worthy of attention is that of Maqueiine-' on the 

 role of osmosis in plants. All soluble bodies accumulate at points in 

 the living organism where there is a lowering of the osmotic pressure. 

 The accumulation of sugar in beets is explained by the author. Cer- 

 tain experiments of Pfeffer'' have been utilized to indirectly measure 

 the forces developed by seed while swelling. Morosow' has thrown 

 some light on the chemical changes in germinating seed by his studies 

 on the decomposition of albuminoids during germination. He combats 

 the opinions of Borodine and Pfefter, accei)ting Boussingault's conclu- 

 sion that asparagin is an excretory product. He shows the retarding 

 influence of nonnitrogenous materials and the accelerating efl'ect of 

 calcium salts on the decomposition of the albuminoids of seed during 

 their germination. 



Numerous experiments have been conducted to ascertain the effect 

 of electricity on plant growth, but the results have often been contra- 

 dictory. It seems, however, that plants derive some benefit from the 

 action of electricity. Thouvenin'' has made investigations in this line 

 which may be of great value in greenhouse culture. Tn his preliminary 

 investigations he undertook to establish the effect of continuous electric 

 currents on the decomposition of carbon dioxid by plants. The organic 

 matter of plants is about 50 per cent carbon, and it is therefore inter- 

 esting to see the eftect of electricity on the assimilation of carbon. 



1 Bui, Mill. Agr. France, 15 (1896), p. 273 (E. S. R., 8, p. 26). 

 2Compt. Reud., 122 (1896), p. 491. 

 3 Rev. g6n. Bot., 8 (1896), pp. 129, 203. 



, " Aun. sci. uat. Bot., ser. 7, 18 (1893), p. 257; Rev. g^n. Bot., 6 (1894), p. 97. 

 5Auu. Agron., 22 (1896), p. 5. 

 fiCompt. Reud., 123 (1896), p. 898. 

 'Ann. Sci. Agion., ser. 2, anu. 2, 1 (1896), p. 425. 

 »Rev. gen. Bot., 8 (1896), p. 433. 



