Bodies on Germination and Vegetation. 199 
This table shows: 
That an oxydizing agent, chlorate of potash (12), is not more 
injurious than a reducing one, sulphite of soda (11), to germina- 
tion, but after germination it kept down vegetation to one-fourth. 
That free acids are much more injurious than alkalies, espe- 
cially hydrochloric acid (8). 
That the presence of an electric pair did not check germina- 
tion, but reduced vegetation by one-third. 
hat the presence of free sulphuric acid had no injurious in- 
fluence upon germination, actually a larger proportion of seeds 
started than with pure water, whereas with hydrochloric acid 
only three seeds germinated out of twenty. But sulphuric acid 
reduced vegetation to one-sixth, hydrochloric to 2:8 per cent. 
With bicarbonate of potash, precisely the same number ger- 
minated as with plain water, and attained precisely the same 
eight. 
In (9) the HCl acted less energetically than in (8), doubtless 
because it was rapidly taken up by the zinc. 
Plants in the sulphite of soda attained the same height as those 
in plain water. But the number germinating was one-fourth less. 
A second set of trials was made, in which a number of other 
substances were experimented upon, and at the same time sul- 
phuric acid was added in much smaller quantity, and sulphite of 
soda in much larger. Capacity of the vessel as before, 124 oz. 
No. 1, Plain water. \No. 6, Citric acid, 5 grains. 
2, Cane sugar, 30 grains. 7, Sulphite of soda, 20 grains. 
3, Gum, 30 grai 8, Permanganate of potash, 2 
ur 
4, Glycerine, 1 fluid drachm. | grains. 
5, Sulphuric acid, $ drop. 9, Nitrate of ammonia, 20 grs. 
The object of this series was to include in the experiments 
Certain organic substances such as the three first. on the list, a 
vegetable acid, and some salts whose influence might be active 
and characteristic. 
t the end of thirteen days, during which the weather was 
very cold (Dec, 10 to Dec. 23), the following was the condition 
of affairs 
Nos. 2 and 4 (cane sugar and glycerine) were as far advanced 
as the plain water (No. 1), but no further. These substances 
therefore had not stimulated either germination or early vege- 
tation in the wheat seeds. ; es 
In 3 (gum solution) fewer seeds germinated than in either of 
the foregoing, but the most advanced plants were fully one-half 
higher than any in 1, 2, or 4. ee 
Nos. 7 and 9 (sulphite of soda and nitrate of ammonia) were 
Somewhat in advance of those in plain water, but not very much. 
In 6 (citric acid) a large number germinated, and appeared 
