1906] SPALDING—ABSORPTION OF WATER BY LEAVES 270 
the plants had been some weeks in the vials to which they were 
transplanted, and weighings were made during a longer period and 
with more complete records as to soil conditions, health of seed- 
ling, etc. Their records as to weight are given in Tables V, VI, 
and VII. All of these seedlings were in a healthy condition and 
apparently capable of entirely normal development. The small 
extent of surface through which absorption and transpiration took 
place renders the consistency of the results all the more striking. 
In every case water was absorbed when it was presented to the 
leaves and internodes, and transpiration was resumed as soon as 
their surfaces were dried. 
TABLE V. 
CELTIS PALLIDA. SEEDLING No. 3. February 1905. 
Date Time Weight in Loss or gain Conditions 
grams 
Feb. 14 | 11:20 A.M. | 23.084 Weight of vi a and outfit 
2:25 P.M. | 23.091 | 0.007 gain After i immersion raped water 
15 -M. | 23.044 | 0.047 loss standin aii dry ai 
T1755 23-053 | 0.009 gain 5 frametsioa! in rain qa 
16 | 11:42 A.M. | 23.007 | 0.046 loss “standing in dry air 
17 | 2:11 P.M. | 23.046 | 0.039 gain immersion in rain water 
20 | 10:23 A.M. | 22.895 | 0.151 loss ‘standing in dry air 
2:51 P.M. | 22.916 | 0.021 gain n immersion in rain water 
21 | 10:28 A.M. | 22.0932 s0x6., rs 
12:00 M. 22.907 | 0.025 loss 8 standing in dry air 
3:02: Pi M. | 22.887 | 0.020" © se ae 
22 {| 12:08 22.845 | @.052 * - - : 
T2:145 22.828 Weight oe — cotyledon 
act 22.8 0.007 gain | After immersing in rain water 
a? a O. oe Weight ar cut is pares of earth 
2228 22.799 4 , rubber, and ea i 
25 1:58 0.015 * of plant above ground, air- 
dried in laboratory 
When the first weighing was made, February 14, seedling no. 3 
had two cotyledons, still attached, and three foliage leaves. The 
cotyledons showed some indications of drying. The earth in the 
glass vial in which the seedling was growing was becoming rather 
dry, but still contained sufficient water to maintain a transpiration 
current for a week and probably longer. On February 16, the 
note was made “one of the cotyledons drying, curled, and getting 
stiff; the other paler than the foliage leaves, but still flexible, other- 
wise the seedling is in good condition.” 
On February 22 the cotyledons were removed and the subse- 
