322 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Experiments with white clover raised from cultivated seed showed no cyanid, 

 while tests showed its presence in sprouting wild seed as soon as the cotyledons 

 began to assume a green tinge, the response increasing rapidly thereafter. 

 It is thought that these differences are similar to those observed in L. cornicUr- 

 latus and the question is raised whether or not these variations are correlated 

 with others affecting the useful qualities of these plants. 



Is salinity a factor in the distribution of Nereocystis luetkeana? G. B. 

 RiGG (Bui. Torrey Bot. Cluh, J,0 {1913), No. 5, pp. 237-2-^2, fig. l).—ln c-on- 

 iiection with work of the Bureau of Soils of this Department, the author has 

 investigated the kelp beds of Puget Sound as a possible source of potash fertil- 

 izer. A bed of the bladder kelp (N. luetkeana) in Freshwater Bay near the 

 mouth of the Elwha River, Washington, was studied to determine the effect 

 of fresh water on the distribution of the kelp. On the basis of his investiga- 

 tions at this poin«t, he reaches the conclusion, also confirmed by conversations 

 and correspondence with others, that kelps are to be looked for only where 

 the water has practically the normal salinity of sea water. 



The effect of lime upon the alkali tolerance of wheat seedlings, J. A. 

 LeClebc and J. P. Breazeale (Orig. Commun. 8. Internat. Cong. Appl. Chem. 

 [Washington and New York], 26 (1912), Sect. VlOr-XIb, App., p. 1S5).— An 

 abstract is given of a paper presented by the authors describing experiments 

 conducted with wheat seedlings in culture media, sand, and clay to determine 

 the effect of lime on the absorption of sodium chlorid by the plants. 



In the culture solution it was found that the tolerance of the wheat seedling 

 for sodium chlorid was about 0.30 per cent. In the sand the seedlings were 

 slightly more resistant, but in the clay marked tolerance was shown by the 

 seedlings toward sodium chlorid. This was found to be due to the lime which 

 the clay contained. Analysis of the seedlings grown in 0.40 per cent sodium 

 chlorid with and without the addition of calcium salt showed as much sodium 

 chlorid absorbed by the seedlings grown in the presence of lime as in those 

 grown in the sodium chlorid solution only. 



It is claimed that the benefit which lime exerts is not one of preventing the 

 absorption of the toxic sodium chlorid by the plant, but rather one in which 

 the toxicity is overcome by the presence of lime. A similar tendency was 

 shown by lime in overcoming the toxicity of sodium sulphate. 



Antitoxic effects of calcium on some salts in nutritive solutions for peas 

 and lupines, Mlle. C. Robeet (Gompt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 156 (1913), 

 No. 11, pp. 915-018). — Peas sprouted in distilled water and then transferred 

 to a medium containing 0.025 par cent of magnesium sulphate, 0.05 per cent 

 of hydrogen potassium phosphate, and 0.05 per cent ammonium nitrate showed 

 arrest of development. This, however, was overcome on the addition of 0.05 

 per cent calcium carbonate or calcium sulphate, the growth then continuing 

 to the point of practical exhaustion of some component. Grown in the calcium 

 sulphate solution alone, the peas showed a remarkable increase of length and 

 weight over those grown in water, while the other salts each gave much less 

 growth than was noted in water alone. All cultures with calcium sulphate 

 showed almost or quite as much increase as was obtained with the latter salt 

 alone. The differences were accentuated with white lupines, which proved 

 more sensitive to toxicity than did peas; but wheat and corn, which do not 

 appear to be unfavorably affected by potassium, gave less definite results. Fur- 

 ther investigations with these two cereals are contemplated. It is thought that 

 the calcium salt neutralizes a toxicity exerted by the other salts at the con- 

 centration here employed. 



Starch content as related to geotropism of roots of Lepidium sativum and 

 other plants cultivated in alum solutions, A. Block (Bot. Ceatbi., Beihefte, 



