64 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
February, 1909 
The Use of Anesthetics for Plants 
By S. Leonard Bastin 
SJOWADAYS the gardener has to adopt all 
kinds of ingenious devices in order to ob- 
tain the flowers for which there is such an 
unceasing demand. One of the most inter- 
A/S esting of those methods which have been 
e SeD aS recently introduced is the system of the 
anesthetization of plants, in order that 
they may come the more quickly to perfection. Some years 
ago, Dr. Johannsen, of 
Copenhagen, carried out a 
number of elaborate in- 
quiries in order to find out 
the effect of chloroform 
and ether upon vegetable 
tissue. After a long series 
of experiments he was able 
to show that certain plants, 
when submitted to the in- 
fluence of the vapors of 
these drugs while in a dor- 
mant condition, behaved in 
a curious way afterward. 
It seemed that the anes- 
thetic intensified their rest- 
fulness, and brought about 
a remarkable activity when 
ordinary growth was al- 
lowed to be resumed. 
Moreover, it was noted 
that the all-round excel- 
lence of the plants so treated was greater than in the case 
of specimens which were in a normal condition. 
It soon became evident that a discovery of real commer- 
cial value had been brought to light. The production of 
flowers is suck a serious business nowadays that anything 
which will save the 
grower time is a mat- 
ter of great impor- 
tance. Further experi- 
ments went a long way 
to indicate the lines on 
which the treatment 
would be likely to be 
most successful. It was 
found that lilacs, aza- 
leas and especially 
lilies of the valley 
were plants which 
were amenable to the 
ordeal. As well, many 
sorts of bulbous species 
seem to repay for the 
trouble by an acceler- 
ated growth and an 
enhanced beauty of de- 
velopment. Of course 
the expense involved in 
the system is so trivial 
as scarcely to be taken 
into consideration. 
The mode of pro- 
cedure is on the follow- 
Young, well-budded lilac, with roots 
wrapped ready for anesthetization 
Lily of the valley ready for anesthetization 
ing lines. When the plants or roots are in a perfectly restful 
condition they are taken in hand for treatment. A perfectly 
airtight box or tin case is obtained, and all the specimens 
are stored away in the bottom of the receptacle. From the 
inside of the lid of the case is suspended a smaller vessel, 
and it is into this that the spirit is poured. It is necessary that 
the temperature throughout the proceedings should not fall 
below 62 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as the chloroform or 
ether is placed in the ves- 
sel the lid of the case must 
be closed down and is not 
again to be opened. Of 
course, the vapor from the 
drug being heavier than 
air sinks to the bottom of 
the box and mingles 
among the roots and 
plants lying there. For a 
period of forty-eight hours 
the case is left, at the end 
of which time all the speci- 
mens are removed, planted 
and grown in the ordi- 
nary manner. No very 
great degree of heat ap- 
pears to be desirable be- 
yond that available in a 
well-warmed glasshouse. 
At first the anesthetized 
plants are only exposed to 
the light to a small extent. It is very soon, however, that 
the advantage of the new treatment becomes apparent when 
the specimens are compared with those which have been 
grown normally. A few days elapse, and the plants seem 
literally to jump into life; the buds burst open, the leaves 
Airtight box for anesthetization of plants. The chloroform or ether is placed in the 
receptical at the top and the heavy vapor sinks to the bottom 
