130 Profs. W. B. Bottomley and H. Jackson. [June 1 1 , 



paratively easy ; and it is found that a good deal of the work can be 

 utilised afterwards in the transition to the three-dimensional cases. 

 Again, the investigation of a simple-harmonic source of disturbance is 

 a natural preliminary to that of a source varying according to an 

 arbitrary law. 



Incidentally, new solutions are given of the well-known problems 

 where a periodic force acts transversally to a line, or at a point, in an 

 unlimited solid. These serve, to some extent, as tests of the analytical 

 method, which presents some features of intricacy. 



"Some Preliminary Observations on the Assimilation of Carbon 

 Monoxide by Green Plants." By W. B. BOTTOMLEY, Professor 

 of Botany, King's College, London, and HERBERT JACKSON, 

 Assistant Professor of Chemistry, King's College, London. 

 Communicated by Professor J. EEYNOLDS GREEN, Sc.D., F.R.8. 

 Eeceived June 11, Read June 18, 1903. 



During an investigation by one of us some years ago on " Carbon 

 Monoxide in some of its Physiological Effects," a few experiments 

 were made on plants, and it was noticed that a hyacinth, which had 

 commenced growth and was showing a few small leaves, continued 

 to grow for some weeks when placed in a bell jar in which the air 

 had been replaced by a mixture of 80 per cent, of carbon monoxide 

 and 20 per cent, of oxygen. As this was contrary to the usually 

 accepted ideas as to growth of green plants in carbon monoxide, a 

 number of experiments were recently commenced with a view to 

 determining how far carbon monoxide could replace carbon dioxide 

 as a source of carbon supply for green plants. Although the hyacinth 

 grew in carbon monoxide the experiment was not considered con- 

 clusive, because of the large stores of carbohydrates in the bulb. 

 Young plants of Tropceolum inajus, grown in sterilised sand and 

 supplied with a nutritive solution free from all traces of carbonates, 

 were therefore used. It was found that Tropceolum plants would not 

 grow in air in which the carbon dioxide had been replaced by an equal 

 quantity of carbon monoxide. When, however, the relative solu- 

 bilities of the two oxides of carbon in water were taken into account, 

 and the amount of carbon monoxide was increased proportionately 

 about twenty times as much carbon monoxide as carbon dioxide the 

 plants grew well, being healthy and normal. Experiments were also 

 made with varying proportions of carbon monoxide in air free from 

 all traces of carbon dioxide. The plants grew freely and well in 

 proportions varying from 1 to 70 per cent, of carbon monoxide, when 

 care was taken that as the higher percentages of carbon monoxide 



