998 BOW CROPS PEED. 



j^o. 2, fed with uric acid, was the best developed plant 

 of the series. At the conclusion of the experiment, it 

 bore ten vigorous leaves, six of which were fresh, and two 

 but partly withered. It was 14 inches high, and carried 

 two rudimentary ears (pistillate flowers), from the upper 

 one of which hung tassels 6 inches long. 



No. 3, supplied with hippuric acid, bore eight leaves, 

 four of which were withered, and two rudimentary ears, 

 one of which tasseled. Height, 12 inches. 



No. 4, with hydrochlorate of guanine, had six leaves, 

 one withered, and two ears, one of which was tasseled. 

 Height, 12 inches. The weight of the crops (dried at 

 212° F.), exclusive of the fine rootlets that could not be 

 removed from the soil, was ascertained, with the subjoined 

 results. 



12 3 4 



WithoTit Hippuric 



Nitrogen. Uric Acid. Acid. Guanine. 



Weightof dried crop, 0.1925 grm. 1.9470 grm. 1.0149 grm. 0.9820 grm. 



«» " seed, 0.1644 " .1725 " 0.1752 " 0.1698 " 



gain, 



0.0291 " 1.7745 " 0.8397 " 0.8132 



We thus have proof that all the substances employed 

 contributed nitrogen to the growing plant. This is con- 

 clusively shown by the fact that the development of pis- 

 tillate organs, which are especially rich in nitrogen, 

 occurred in the three plants fed with nitrogenous com- 

 pounds, but was totally wanting in the other. The rela- 

 tion of matter, new-organized by growtli, to that derived 

 from the seed, is strikingly seen from a comparison of the 

 ratios of the weight of the seed to the increase of organ- 

 ized matter, the former being taken as unity. 



The ratio is approximatively 

 for No. 



