1894.] Absorption of Water by Green Parts. 143 
Of the whole subject, in summary, it may be said, that 
while these described experiments may appear to be too few 
and too imperfect to justify conclusions applicable widely to 
living plants under entirely natural conditions, nevertheless, 
made as they are upon fairly representative plants, they seem 
torender it very improbable that the absorption of water 
through their green parts is at all general or appreciable in 
amount among ordinary land plants. Whether in plants of 
special habit, with special structures which may be used for 
the purpose (as epiphytic Bromeliacez, etc.), such absorp- 
tion takes place is another and distinct question, and in-some 
Cases has proved, and in others may prove, answerable in the 
affirmative, consistently with an equally emphatic negative for 
ordinary land plants. 
Phanerogamic Laboratory, Harvard University. 
