28 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The studies were made almost entirely with leaves of Dicotyledons, and it 

 was found tliat they increased in thickness with the age of the leaf, due to a 

 considerable development of the palisade parenchyma. This was found in 

 practically all of the species examined, although the rate bf growth was not 

 uniform. A similar increase was noted for the fibrovascular bundles. 



The transfer of foodstuffs in leaves, with especial reference to their 

 autumn fall, 15. Schulze and J. Sciiutz (Laiulw. Yerti. Hiat, 11 {1909), No. 

 Ji-5, pp. 299-352). — A study was made of the leaves of the box elder from 

 May to the end of September to determine the changes in the transfer of 

 elaborated material from spring to autumn and the effect of light on the 

 elaboration and transfer of foodstuffs. 



The fresh and dry weight of the leaves and of many of the substances deter- 

 mined by chemical analysis increased from the beginning of the experiment 

 until the first of September. By the end of September there was obsei-ved a 

 marked falling off in the water content and most of the nitrogen constituents, 

 while there was an increase in crude fiber and ash. 



In relation to the variation of the morning and evening content, as illus- 

 trating the effect of light on food elaboration, it was found in every case ob- 

 served, except the fat content, that the proportion of constituents present in the 

 leaves in the evening showed an increase over the quantity present in the 

 morning. The fat content fluctuated, being sometimes greater in the morning 

 than in the evening and vice versa. During the last month of the experiment 

 the iireponderance was reversed and there was a greater amount of dry matter, 

 protein, fat, and nitrogen-free extract, and less crude fiber and ash in the 

 leaves taken in the morning. 



The autumn migration of the various constituents is discussed at some 

 length. 



The relation of plants to salts in soils, B. Hansteen (Nyt Mag. Naturvi- 

 deiisl:, J/J (1909), Ao. 2, pp. 181-192). — A preliminary report is given of experi- 

 ments with wheat seedlings in water cultures conducted to test the antagonisms 

 supposed to exist between potassium, sodium, and magnesium, and between 

 calcium and magnesium. Different strengths of the individual salts were tested 

 and also the effect of combining them in various ways, particularly with lime, 

 the experiments in every case running for 14 days. 



The lime salts when used in less than 0.5 per cent solutions favored the 

 gi'owth of the plants. The other salts when used singly were more or less 

 injurious in proi)ortion to the strength of the solutions, but when used in 

 connection with lime salts the injury to the leaves, roots, and root hairs was 

 greatly diminished, this depending upon the relative propoi'tion of lime to the 

 other salt. 



Accf)rding to the author, lime exerts its antagonistic effect only when used 

 in conjunction with other salts, acting as an external protection to the roots. 



The penetration of inorganic salts into living protoplasm, W. J. V. Oster- 

 HOUT (ZAschr. Plnjs. Chem., 70 (1910), pp. J,08-J,13, figs. 2).— The author devised 

 a method for observing the growth of root hairs without injuring them, and by 

 this means was able to observe the formation of calcium oxalate crystals within 

 the root hairs. Seeds of Dianthufi hatMtus were germinated in distilled water, 

 transferred to the sjiecial slide, and then placed in solutions of various lime 

 salts. After several hours in the solutions at 30° C. calcium oxalate crystals 

 were observed in the I'oot hairs, showing that the living protoplasm had been 

 penetrated by the inorganic salts without any injury to the cells. 



The author states that as the calcium ion can not penetrate without a cor- 

 responding anion, it seems highly probable that both the anions and cations, 

 or the uudissociated molecules, of the above mentioned salts penetrate the living 



I 



