TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 115 
Anthoxanthum odoratum, Poa annua, and radishes. They were all grown on the 
same soil, of a calcareous character, potted on the Ist of May, and experimented 
upon with salt solutions of different strength on the 10th of May. The following 
are the general results derived from these experiments :— 
' 1, Salt solutions, containing 3 ers. of salt, 6 grs., 12 grs., and even 24 grs. of 
salt, produced no injurious effect on the above-mentioned plants, which had been 
regularly watered with them during two months, with the exception of Antho- 
xanthum odoratum. Anthoxanthum odoratum was killed by a solution containing 
24 ers. of salt in the course of a month. 
2. Such weak solutions appeared to benefit most plants experimented upon, par- 
ticularly cabbages, radishes, and lentils. The lentils, which were watered with a 
salt solution containing 24 grs. of salt per pint of rain-water, were nearly half larger 
in size than those watered with 6 grs. of salt per pint, and these again were more 
vigorous than the lentils which received no salt at all. 
3. Salt solutions containing 48 grs. of salt proved to be prejudicial, in the course 
of a month, to lentils, Stellaria media, Senecio vulgaris, Poa annua, and exercised 
no injurious effects on cabbages, beans, onions, radishes, Carduus pratensis. 
4, Salt solutions containing 96 grs. of salt had an injurious effect on lentils, Stel- 
laria, Senecio vulgaris, Poa annua, cabbages and beans, but no effect on Carduus 
pratensis, onions and radishes. 
5. Cabbages will continue to grow, though sickly, when watered regularly during 
a month with a salt solution containing 192 grs. of salt, and even when watered with 
a solution containing 382 grs. of salt per pint. 
6. Solutions of salt containing 192 gers. of salt per pint, proved unprejudicial in 
the course of a month to onions. ' 
7. Grasses are affected by salt more readily than any other of the plants expe- 
rimented upon. 
8. Solutions containing 24 grs. of salt, decidedly benefited radishes, lentils, onions 
and cabbages. 
Many of the plants had taken up so large a quantity of salt, that they tasted like 
strong brine, and notwithstanding they grew healthily, which evidently shows that 
salt in a moderately diluted solution has no poisonous effect on many plants. 
In conclusion, the author mentioned that his experiments differ from those of Mr. 
Randall, made with fuchsias. But as Mr. Randall used water from a particular 
source, and not with pure salt water, and may have contained other poisonous sub- 
stances, it is the opinion of the author, that so small a quantity of salt as that con- 
tained in the water with which Mr. Randall experimented, cannot be regarded as the 
cause of the observed poisonous effects. 
ZooLoey. 
Notes on Crustacea. By C. Spence Bate. 
I. On the Development of the Shell—That crabs moult, from the larva state to that 
of the adult, is well known; in the earlier period of their existence the exuviz are 
thrown off every two or three days, later it takes place at intervals of two or three 
months; but in the adult crab, the shell is cast but oncea year, and probably in old 
age it-is not so often repeated, even if they moult at all. But whether we contem- 
plate the phenomenon in either stage, the process by which the shell is developed 
must be the same. 
Immediately over the heart a pulp is formed consisting of nucleated cells, areolar 
tissue (and blood-vessels?) ; from this centre the pulp extends throughout the whole 
portion of the crab, which is represented by a hard dermal skeleton, beneath which 
it immediately lies, and from which it is separated by a layer of pigment which gives 
colour to the newly-developed organ. Near the base of the pulp (that is immediately 
above the heart) the cells are uniformly large ; deeper in the pulp they become mixed 
with smaller, both of which are displaced by cells still smaller as they approach the 
layer of pigment, immediately beneath which, they being uniform in size; compress’ 
each other into a polygonal form; these cells are the ultimate secreting organs of 
12 
