THE ETHERIZATION OF PL.\NTS. / / 



all subsequent ones some clumps ^Yhich had been subjected to the 

 action of frost. Hence treatments III-VI included both frozen 

 and unfrozen rhubarb plants. The results of freezing were soon 

 made apparent. Frozen and etherized plants made a much c^uicker 

 growth than unfrozen etherized plants, while the unetherized frozen ' 

 plants were superior to the unfrozen. The resuks of these trials 

 indicated at once that ether, at least by the methods employed, could 

 not be used as a substitute for freezing. 



Another disturbing factor had however presented itself. Why 

 had the unfrozen untreated plants of lot III grown, while both the 

 etherized and unetherized plants of lots I and II, which were treated 

 a month pre\dous, remained absolutely dormant ? In reply to this 

 question we offered two possible solutions, either the plants in the 

 cold frame which we had supposed was frost-proof had been 

 slightly frozen or else the after rest period suggested by Johannsen 

 had proceeded so far that the plants were more easily incited into 

 active growth. The first supposition we could not verify. Al- 

 though no evidence of frost had been observed, slight freezing 

 might have occurred during the interval between November 4 and 

 December 4. We are inclined however to the belief that growth 

 was attributable to low temperatures, not necessarily below freezing, 

 coupled with the passage of the plants into the latter stages of the 

 after rest period. 



With the publication of these results in the Nineteenth Annual 

 Report of the Vermont Experiment Station the writer had decided 

 to dismiss the subject believing that further experimentation 

 would reveal nothing of further interest to the plant forcer, reason- 

 ing that frost in New England was of sufficiently frequent occur- 

 rence as to be easily available. As the results of this experiment 

 became more widely known inquiries began to be received regarding 

 the possibility of employing ether in regions where frost does not 

 occur, as in the southern and Pacific coast states. These unexpected 

 inquiries at once placed a new emphasis upon the desirability of 

 finding some method of treatment which would be as effective or 

 even more so than the action of frost. In consequence of this 

 seeming demand upon the Station for further investigation along 

 these lines the problem has been again taken up but thus far, owing 

 to the poor condition of the plants available for experimental 



