188 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Szss. xxx, 
announces the discovery of the fixation as albumen of the 
free nitrogen of theair. That, briefly stated, is Mr. Jamieson’s 
discovery! Not a semblance of proof of fixation of nitrogen 
is advanced by Mr. Jamieson. 
Those who are acquainted with the facts of plant life 
know that every cell contains protoplasm so long as it is 
alive. The hair cells which Mr. Jamieson stained are living 
cells, and naturally showed a nitrogenous reaction, but it is 
awkward for Mr. Jamieson’s hypotheses that such epidermal 
cells usually have no chlorophyll. Similar living cells are 
found all through the plant, and it would be as natural to 
assume, on the evidence advanced by Mr. Jamieson, that the 
cells of the pith and every living cell absorb and fix free 
nitrogen. It is unfortunate that statements which, if 
correct, would have so important a bearing upon a vast 
industry, should be put forward in this rash way without 
proof. Please note, however, that I am not to be understood 
to say that green plants do not absorb nitrogen from the air, 
The scientific attitude at the present time is simply this, that 
there is no proof of it. It would be a real discovery if it 
could be shown that green plants absorbed free nitrogen, but 
a good deal more than is put forward by Mr. Jamieson is 
wanted before we can admit that the fact is as Mr. Jamieson 
states ib. , 
Mr. Jamieson’s discovery is not a discovery, then, and his 
observations as recorded in his paper do not advance our 
knowledge of the subject, and cannot be the basis of any 
modification of agricultural practice. 
Unfortunately this is not the first statement regarding 
plant life which Mr. Jamieson has put forward that requires 
qualification. Members of the Society will recollect that 
some years ago he read a paper at one of our meetings in 
which he announced the discovery of apertures in the root 
hairs by which plants took in solid particles. This was 
really a restatement of an exploded view a century old. 
He exhibited microscopic specimens at the meeting which 
were anything but satisfactory, and, in response to my 
invitation, Mr. Jamieson was so good as to come to the 
laboratory at the Royal Botanic Garden on the following 
day to show me those apertures. They were merely appear- 
ances, the result of faulty microscopical manipulation. 
