174 DEOSEKA EOTUNDIFOLIA. Chap. VIII. 



CHAPTEE VIII. 



The Effects of various Salts and Acids on the Leaves. 



Salts of sodium, potassium, and other alkaline, earthy, and metallic 

 gaits — Summary on the action of these salts — Various acids — 

 Summary on their action. 



Having found that the salts of ammonia were so 

 powerful, I was led to investigate the action of some 

 othe» salts. It will be convenient, first, to give a list 

 of the substances tried (including forty -nine salts and 

 two metallic acids), divided into two columns, showing 

 those which cause inflection, and those which do not 

 do so, or only doubtfully. My experiments were made 

 by placing half-minim drops on the discs of leaves, or, 

 more commonly, by immersing them in the solutions ; 

 and sometimes by both methods. A summary of the 

 results, with some concluding remarks, will then be 

 given. The action of various acids will afterwards be 

 described. 



Salts causing Inflection. Salts not causing Inflection. 



{Arranged in Groups according to the Chemical Classification in Watts* 

 ' Dictionary of Chemistry.*') 



Sodium carbonate, rapid inflec- Potassium carbonate : slowly poi- 



tion. sonous. 



Sodium nitrate, rapid inflection. Potassiima nitrate : somewhat poi™ 



sonous. 



Sodium sulphate, moderately Potassium sulphate. 



rapid inflection. 



Sodium phosphate, very rapid in- Potassium phosphate. 



flection. 



Sodiiun citrate, rapid inflection. Potassium citrate. 

 Sodium oxalate, rapid inflection. 



Sodium chloride, moderately rapid Potassium chloride. 



inflection. 



