490 
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NATURE sae i [March 23, 1882 
however, slowly acted on by caustic potash, and seem to 
be of the nature of protein. 
It will be observed that the most remarkable part of 
the phenomenon is that the granules are only formed in 
some of the external cells, and that these cells are, before 
the treatment with ammonia, indistinguishable in shape 
or by their contents from their fellows, which are un- 
affected by the solution. 
There is, however, a curious functional difference be- 
tween the two classes of cells, namely, that the granular 
cells do not produce root-hairs, which arise exclusively 
from the cells of the light-coloured rows. With this fact 
may be compared an observation of Pfeffer’s, that the 
root-hairs of the gemmez of Marchantia grow only from 
certain definite cells. He describes a similar state of 
things in Hydrocharis, but with these exceptions it seems 
not to have been hitherto suspected that root-hairs arose 
from cells in any way specialised. 
In connection with this fact, the theory suggests itself 
that the light-coloured cells have been emptied in conse- 
quence of the granules having been used up in the deve- 
lopment of the root-hairs. But this view is not compatible 
with the fact that light-coloured cells may often be found 
which have not produced root-hairs. Again, in the case 
of Cyclamen, root-hairs are produced from granular cells. 
Effects similar to those now described were observed in 
some other Euphorbiacious plants, e.g. Phyllanthus com- 
pressus, though not in all the genera of this family which 
were observed. Among genera belonging to other families 
may be mentioned Drosophyllum and Cyclamen, as 
showing the phenomenon especially well. Altogether 49 
genera were observed; of these 15 were conspicuously 
acted on, and 11 in a slight degree, making together 26 
genera, while the roots of the remaining 23 genera were 
not acted on in any plain manner. 
Before attempting to draw any conclusions, a few more 
details must be taken into account. The root must be 
alive, otherwise no precipitation will take place; the pro- 
cess is therefore a vital one, and seems in some measure 
to resemble ‘‘aggregation,” as it occurs in the tentacles 
of Drosera. In both cases carbonate of ammonia is the 
most efficient re-agent, but other salts, such as nitrate of 
ammonia, produce a similar effect. What the nature of 
the process may be, must remain doubtful. The view 
here suggested is that the granular matter is of the natuae 
of an excretion; the arrangement of the dark-coloured 
cells in rows agrees with what we know of the disposition 
of certain cells whose function is admittedly to contain 
excretions. The granules are, moreover, deposited in the 
loose exfoliating cells of the root-cap where they cannot 
take part in the life of the root; and this fact points in 
the same direction. 
2. On the Action of Carbonate of Ammonia on Chlorophyll 
Bodies.—The effects of solutions of carbonate of ammonia 
and of other fluids on the tentacles of Drosera, &c., was 
described in ‘‘ Insectivorous’ Plants,’ under the name of 
“ageregation.” This process consists essentially in the 
appearance of curiously-shaped masses, of an albuminoid 
nature, which undergo striking changes of form. The 
masses were believed to be protoplasmic, but this con- 
clusion has not been generally accepted, and has been 
called in question by such authorities as Cohn and 
Pfeffer. The present paper is intended to show that 
carbonate of ammonia causes a kind of aggregation in 
chlorophyll bodies ; and as these are undoubtedly proto- 
plasmic, the belief in the protoplasmic nature of the 
aggregated masses in Drosera, and other carnivorous 
plants, is supported. 
The changes which occur in the chlorophyll bodies may 
be well observed in the case of Dionza. Ifa young leaf 
is immersed for twenty-four hours in a solution of car- 
bonate of ammonia (7 to 1000), and is then examined by 
making thin sections, the contrast with a normal leaf will 
be found strikingly great. In most of the cells, not a 
single chlorophyll-grain can be seen, but in their place 
are found masses of translucent yellowish-green matter 
of diversified shapes, resembling in a general way the 
aggregated masses in the tentacles of Drosera. The 
matter is not exclusively derived from the chlorophyll- 
grains, but consists, in part, of matter deposited from the 
cell-sap, which is often the first to be formed, and is after- 
wards surrounded by the green matter derived from the 
chlorophyll-grains. 
The same process may be observed in Drosera, and 
here it is not necessary to make sections, as the chloro- 
phyll-grains may be well seen at the bases of the tentacles. 
Many observations were made in this way, and also by 
means of sections. In the case of Drosera it was possible 
to show that the chlorophyll-grains may recover from the 
effects of the carbonate—and this is a fact of some im- 
portance. After placing drops of various solutions on the 
discs of leaves still attached to their plants, green spheres 
or green zones surrounding a central purple mass were to 
be found in the tentacles. In this case it will be seen 
that the chlorophyll grains join with the purple cell-con- 
tents in forming aggregated masses. These masses were 
observed to be in constant slow movement. The leaves 
were then syringed with water and left to themselves for 
some days. When again examined, the green spheres 
had in large part disappeared, and instead of them normal 
chlorophyll-grains were found. 
Other observations were made on Drosophyllum, Sarra- 
cenia, Primula sinensis, Dipsacus, Pelargonium, Cyclamen, 
and many other genera, with variois results. In some 
cases the chlorophyll-grains disappeared, and the green 
masses were formed, in other cases hardly any effect was 
produced ; in others again the chlorophyll-grains became 
confluent and formed curious horse-shoe like masses in 
the bottoms of the cells. 
In the case of Spirogyra the effects of the carbonate 
were well marked, the spiral chlorophyll body breaking 
up into variously formed rounded and pear-shaped 
masses, which slowly changed their outline. Here also 
plainly-marked deposition of fine granular matter from 
the cell-sap was caused by the ammonia solution. 
Finally, it may be pointed out that whether or not the 
argument from the facts here given in favour of the proto- 
plasmic nature of the aggregates in Drosera be considered 
valid, the observations themselves possess some inde- 
pendent interest. 
NOTES 
In the New Code it is satisfactory to find that science is 
placed on a fair footing. While in elementary schools, the 
substratum of instruction, in the form of ‘ obligatory subjects,” 
is reading, writing, and arithmetic, still the grants for optional 
subjects are such as to encourage teachers to make them a 
regular part of education. In the class-subjects for older 
scholars, for example, we find geography and elementary 
science, and these it is recommended, should be illustrated as 
far as possible, by maps, diagrams, specimens, and simple ex- 
periments. In geography the subjects for the different standards 
are carefully graduated; in Standard V., for example, such 
subjects as latitude and longitude, day and night, and the 
seasons, are set down ; under Standard VI., among other subjects, 
are the ‘‘circumstances which determine climate ;” and under 
Standard VIL, ‘‘the ocean, currents, and tides, general arrange- 
ment of the planetary system, the phases of the moon.” Under 
Elementary Science, again, the object of the instruction is stated 
to be the cultivation of ‘‘ habits of exact observation, statement. 
and reasoning.” or the first standards, lessons in ‘* common 
objects, such as familiar animals, plants, and substances em- 
ployed in ordinary life,” are to be given. For Standard IV, 
there is required ‘‘a more advanced knowledge of special groups 
of common objects, such as (a) animals or plants, with particu- 
ee ee 
