ANNUAL REPORT, 1939 9 



and calcium were added at the rate of 500 parts per million per individual plot. 

 The anions chlorine, sulfate, and phosphate were used on additional plots at the 

 rate of 200 parts per million. The roots and tops of the plants were analyzed to 

 determine the effect of these soil applications. 



The results were somewhat inconsistent with those obtained in other seasons, 

 particularly the intake of sulfur by cabbage, which showed a decrease instead 

 of the expected increase. Whether this decrease was due to the season or to some 

 undetermined cause is not yet apparent. 



The Intake by Plants of Elements Applied to the Soil in Pairs Compared to 

 the Intake of the Same Elements Applied Singly. (Walter S. Eisenmenger and 

 Karol J. Kucinski.) Experience has shown that the application of cations to 

 soil tends to increase their quantity in the plant. This is especially true of mag- 

 nesium and potassium. The experiment here described was designed to determine 

 whether, when two elements are added to the soil together, the plant will absorb 

 less than it does when each is added singly. The materials used supplied calcium, 

 potassium, and sodium at the rate of 250 parts per million of soil, and lithium at 

 the rate of 100 parts per million. Lithium is exceedingly toxic; therefore it was 

 added several months before seeding. Although the experiment is still in a pre- 

 liminary stage, a lack of consistency in results is already apparent. 



When lime and a potassium compound were applied together, the amount 

 of potassium in the plant was less and the amount of calcium greater in all cases 

 than when the respective elements were applied singly. 



When lime and a sodium compound were applied together, there was less 

 sodium in celery and in cabbage (tops) and more sodium in cabbage roots and in 

 lettuce than when the sodium compound was applied alone; there was more 

 calcium in celery and in lettuce and less in cabbage (whole plant) than when 

 lime was applied alone. 



When compounds of sodium and potassium were applied together, there was 

 more potassium in celery and less in cabbage than when the potassium compound 

 was applied alone; there was more sodium in cabbage (tops) and less in cabbage 

 roots and in celery than when the sodium compound was applied alone. 



The figures for lithium were too few to be of significance. 



The Relative Intake of Certain Elements by Calciphyle Plants and Calciphobe 

 Plants Grown on Soils at Varying pH. (Walter S. Eisenmenger and W'illiam H. 

 Bender.) The question of the relative nutritional value of plants grown under 

 different environmental conditions has led to a study of the intake of mineral 

 elements by the plant, as influenced by the calcium ion and by the hydroxyl 

 ion when both are added to the soil in the form of hydrated lime. 



The intake of calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and iron 

 was observed on limed and unlimed soil with a pH of 7.3 and 4.4, respectively. 

 The calciphyle plants were barley, sweet clover, and Kentucky bluegrass; the cal- 

 ciphobe plants, oats, peanuts, and redtop; and the intermediate plants, wheat, 

 cowpeas, timothy, and tomatoes. 



When lime was applied to the soil, all plants showed an increase in calcium; 

 all plants of the intermediate class and two-thirds of the calciphobe and cal- 

 ciphyle plants increased in magnesium; all intermediate and calciphobe and two- 

 thirds of the calciphyle plants increased in nitrogen. One-half of the intermediate, 

 all of the calciphobe, and two-thirds of the calciphyle plants decreased in phos- 

 phorus as a result of liming. No relationship could be determined between intake 

 of potassium and liming. Liming increased the iron content of 80 percent of all 

 plants grown, from which it would seem that the assimilation of iron is not based 

 on its solubility in the soil, for iron is more soluble in acid soils. 



Since the application of lime to the soil affected the intake of other elements 



