342 SALT, NITRATE OF SODA, SALTS OF AMMOXL\, ETC. 



that the increase in the crops obtained from the plots 

 manured with the sulphates did not extend equally to all 

 parts of the plant, but was more particularly observable 

 in the production of stems. There were found in 100 

 parts of the clover from the manured plots more stems, 

 fewer leaves, and still fewer flowers, than in 100 parts of 

 the unmanured clover. 



These proportions of the different organs of the clover 

 plant show that the action of the sulphates has led to a 

 very considerable increase of the wood-cells, or, in other 

 words, to an extension of the stems at the expense of the 

 flowers and leaves. The relative proportion of the 

 flowers, leaves, and stems, was : — 



According to the law of the symmetrical developement 

 of plants, we may, without risk of error, take it for 

 granted that the developement of the root increased in 

 the same ratio as that of the stem. Now, as the increase 

 of a plant in bulk is proportionate to the extent of food 

 absorbent surface, we can understand that the manured plots 

 should have produced when compared with the unmanured 



