BRIEFER ARTICLES 



ABSORPTION OF BARIUM CHLORIDE BY ARAGALLUS 



LAMBERTI 1 



During the progress of some experimental work on loco plants at 

 Hugo, Colorado, we were led to suppose that these legumes contained 

 much more barium salts than other plants growing in the same locali- 

 ties, and presumably possessed some qualities which enabled them to 

 withdraw more of these salts from the soil. The question arose whether 

 an increase of the quantity of barium in the soil would be followed by a 

 corresponding increase in the plants, and to this end a series of experi- 

 ments was undertaken. These experiments were not carried out as a 

 complete study of the question, and were discontinued after the facts 

 were obtained which had an immediate bearing on the problems which 

 were under consideration. While the work was only preliminary in 

 character, the results obtained may be of interest to others, and inasmuch 

 as this work will not be continued, it may be best to publish the facts for 

 the use of those who may be studying similar problems. While the 

 general plan of the experiment was outlined by the writer, the detail 

 was carried out by Assistant Hadleigh Marsh. A plot of ground was 

 selected on the ranch of Mr. Olson, near Hugo, where Aragallus Lamberti 

 grew with especial luxuriance. This plot was fenced in order that 

 grazing animals might not interfere with the progress of the experiment. 



EXPERIMENT NO. I 



Six thrifty plants of Aragallus Lamberti were selected for barium 

 chloride treatment, and 7 plants, somewhat smaller, were selected for a 

 control by treatment with an equal amount of water. A shallow trench 

 was dug around each plant. These trenches were filled daily with barium 

 chloride solution in the case of the plants experimented upon, and with 

 an equal quantity of water in the case of the control plants. The barium 

 chloride was applied in a 10 per cent solution. The solution was made 

 with water containing some sulphates, so that there was a slight precipi- 

 tation of sulphate of barium when the solution was made, but it is not 



Published by permission of the Secretary of Agriculture 



Botanical Gazette, vol. 54] 



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