322 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



boiling test and the Waterhouse test, for distinguishing genuine butter from reno- 

 vated butter or oleomargarine are described in a popular manner. 



Volumetric estimation of boric acid, H. Luhrig {Fharni. CentralhaUe, 43 {1901), 

 pp. 50-56; (lbs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. \_London'], 80 (1901), No. 462, II, p. 2S0).— The 

 author indorses the accuracy of Jorgensen's method, which he deems superior to 

 Gladding's process, it being more rapid and less complicated. When testing meat 

 for boric acid, he recommends moistening the sample with strong sodium hydroxid, 

 evaporating to dryness with constant stirring, adding a little sodium carbonate, and 

 then burning the dry mass to ash. 



Determination of the hardness of water, M. Pleissxer {PJicmn. CentralhaUe, 

 42 {1901), pp. 145-147; ahs. in Chem. Centhl.. 1901, I, No. 14, p. 796). 



Determination of the addition of water to wine, A. Gautier, A. Chassevant, 

 and M. de la Source {Jour. Pharm. et Chim., 6. ser., 13 {1901), No. 1, pp. 14-18). — The 

 addition of water to wine is said to be the most common adulteration of that product 

 and the most difficult to determine. In order to detect the addition of water, it is 

 necessary to find the amount of alcohol, extract, tartar, and especially of the alcohol- 

 acid. A table is presented showing the average results in the analyses of a large 

 number of wines. Attention is called to the relation existing in pure wines between 

 the alcohol and the acid, and the means for employing these factors in determining 

 the purity of the wine. 



BOTANY. 



The effect of small quantities of toxic substances upon the higher plants, 



H. CouPiN {Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Pari.% 133 {1901), No. 10, yp. 645-647).— K report 

 is given of experiments conducted with wheat germinated in distilled water, after 

 which it is i^laced in dilute solutions of a number of salts. After germination and 

 root development had well started, the seedlings were placed in the solutions 

 and the effect of the different solutions ascertained by the retardation of further 

 growth. It was found that no growth took place in 15 days in solutions of the fol- 

 lowing dilution: 



• The to.cic effect of dilide sohdions on wheat seedling.?. 



Substance. 



Strength of 

 solution. 



Copper sulphate ! 1 : 700, 000, 000 



Mereurv bichlorid i 1 : 30, 000, 000 



Cadmium chloric! 1 : 10, 000, 000 



Silver sulphate ' 1 : 2, 000, 000 



Silver nitrate 1: 1,000,000 



Palladium chlorid 1: 500,000 



Lead nitrate 1: 100,000 



Aluminium sulphate | 1: 50,000 



Zinc .Miljihate ' 1: 40,000 



Piitassium permanganate ' 1 : 15, 000 



Manganese nitrate : 1 : 13, 000 



Lithium chlorid 1: 12,000 



Aluminium chlorid 1: 10,000 



Magnesium iodid ■ 1 : 10, 000 



Substance. 



Barium chlorid 



Calcium indid 



Stnuitium nitrate . . 



Litliium nitrate 



Barium nitrate 



Lithium sulphate . . 



Sodium acetate 



Magnesium acetate 



Sodium borate 



Barium acetate 



Manganese chlorid. 



Calciiun ))r()mid 



Calcium chlorid 



The figures given in the above table show that the effect of these toxic substances 

 upon the higher plants is identical with that found for some of the lower fungi, and 

 that injurious effects may lie exerted by such dilute solutions as to be impossible of 

 detection by ordinary methods. 



On the absorption of metallic poisons by plants, H. Devaux {Compt. Bend. 

 Acad. Sci. Paris, 132 {1901), No. 11, pyyj. 717-719). — A report is given of experiments 

 with salts of copper and lead upon Spirogyra and the petioles of Aralia sieholdii and 

 the small roots of Mibora verna. The author foimd tliat all the plants were poisoned 



