30/ 



Besides the probable increase in 

 the transportability of the phos- 

 phoric acid, it can be proved that 

 chlorine has a favorable influence 

 on the transference of the starch 

 prepared in the leaves. According 

 to Nobbe's experiments, the plant 

 starving for chlorine continues to 

 grow, exhibits a very dark green 

 color and gives a considerable pro- 

 duction of substances rich in carbo- 

 hydrates, but sooner or later, — at 

 any rate before the time of blos- 

 soming, — there occurs a peculiar 

 change in form and structure. 

 Nobbe found the dark, abnormally 

 fleshy leaves crammed full of 

 starch (in oak and buckwheat) 

 rolling up, becoming brittle and 

 dropping. The stems and petioles 

 seem puffed up, the internodes of 

 the stems always are shorter and 

 many finally dry from the tips 

 backward. If the plant reaches 

 the blossoming stage, only scat- 

 tered, unusually poor small fruits 

 develop, despite the abundant 

 starch material in the leaves. The 

 effect of a lack of chlorine is best 

 recognized by a comparison of a 

 normal buckwheat plant with one 

 grown with a 



40. Blossoming- buckwheat plant gi-own in 

 nutrient solution. (After Nobbe.) 



