110 oo HENRY G. SMITH. 
Watts! after recording the presence of aluminium in the 
Lycopods, says, “‘In most other plants alumina is altogether 
absent, any small quantities that may be found in the ash, 
generally arising from impurity of the reagents.” | 
Mr. W. A. Dixon, F.I.C., etc., in two papers’ to this Society 
shows the presence of aluminium in the ash of some 
epiphytic ferns, and in the ash of some epiphytic orchids, | 
but he found that there was a complete absence of that 
element in the ash of the wood and bark of the tree on 
which the specimen of the Stag’s Horn Fern, Platycerium 
grande was growing. In the latter paper Mr. Dixon says, 
*“T would not, however, venture to say definitely that 
alumina is a necessary ash constituent without a further 
careful examination of other specimens of the plant.”’ The 
reason given being a more or less external contamination. 
In Roscoe and Schorlemmer’ appears the following :— 
*‘Athough alumina is largely contained in all fertile soil, it. 
is not taken up by plants with the exception of a few 
cryptogams, especially the species of Lycopodiums. The 
ash of L. clavatum contains up to 26°65%, and that of L. 
chamcecyparissus even as much as 57°26" of alumina, whilst 
other piants, such as oak, fig and birch grown on the same 
soil contain none. (Aderholdt, Ann. Chem. Pharm. 1xxxii., 
rm) . 
The general statement that alumina is never found 
amongst the constituents of poy Grins plants is perhaps too 
Sweeping. 
L’Hote* shows that aluminium occurs in wine and in 
grapes.” 
1 Dictionary of Chemistry, Vol. 1., p. 417. 
2 Journ. Roy. Soc. N. S. Wales, xv., 1881, p. 175, and xv1., anes 175, 
* Treatise on Chemistry, Vol. 11., Dat i., p. 487. 
* Compt. Rend. 104, p. 853. 
