ON SIMILARITY IN THE BEHAVIOR OF SODIUM 
AND POTASSIUM 
Ww. I. V. OSTERHOUT 
(WITH FOUR FIGURES) 
It is commonly-mentioned by textbooks, as worthy of remark, that 
sodium and potassium agree closely i in chemical behavior, but differ : 
fundamentally in their effects upon plants. 7 
This general statement is founded on the study of the nutritive — 
functions of sodium and potassium. There is no a-priori reason f 
supposing it to be true in the field of toxic or of protective action. a 
As this is a point of general interest I have made some experiments — 
with reference to it. 4 
Two extensive series of experiments, one on sodium, the other on 4 
potassium, were carried on simultaneously. They were found to — 
‘show a remarkable degree of agreement in the action of these two 4 
substances. 4 
The experiments relating to sodium have already been described,’ q 
while those on potassium have been withheld from publication, pend- 
ing thecompletion of further observations on the mutually antag: 
onistic action of sodium and potassium. = 
Most of the experiments were made with a variety of wheat known a 
as Early Genesee. The technique has been fully described in 4 4 
previous paper.? : 
TOXIC ACTION : —a 
In the earliest studies which I made on balanced solutions, I we 
struck with the fact that Na and K agree closely i in their toxic effect 08 
plants. 
These results I have found to hold in an extensive series of expetl 
ments, including algae, liverworts, Equisetum, and some thirtee? 
genera of flowering plants. While there are doubtless some excep: 
tions, the general rule seems to be that Na and K are closely si 
in their toxic action. 
' Jahrb. Wiss. Bot. 46:121. 1908. 
2 Bot. GAZETTE 44: 266. 1907. 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 48] 
