ACTION OF CHLORIDS. 25 



that the development of the plant proceeds normally for a considerable 

 length of time, that is, until the flowering stage is reached. This also 

 militates against Detmer's belief that the beneficial action of potassium 

 chlorid on the migration of starch is due to the formation of hydro- 

 chloric acid from this chlorid," which acid, in very small quantities, he 

 claims, will promote the saccharification of starch by diastase. 



According to Chittenden and to Wachsman diastase acts more 

 energetically in the presence of small doses of sodium chlorid (0.24 

 per cent) than in their absence, while A. Mayer failed to observe a 

 similar effect with potassium chlorid, which in a dose of 1 per cent 

 retarded even diastatic action. 



BENEFICIAL AND INJURIOUS ACTION OF CHLORIDS. 



Observations of Sprengel, Liebig, and others show that small quan- 

 tities of common salt act beneficial^ on various crops, especially on 

 beans (Sprengel). Blomeyer 6 observed a very favorable effect with 

 beans on applying even as much as 100 kilos of sodium chlorid per 

 hectare on a soil that had received barnyard manure. But he would not 

 give a general recommendation, since in dry climates the result might 

 be different from that in moist climates or rainy seasons. Pethybridge c 

 observed the production of a deep green color with wheat that had 

 received some sodium chlorid. Ennenbach d reports a beneficial action 

 on various plants grown in mineral solutions containing 0.15 per cent 

 of sodium chlorid, while even 0.3 per cent exerted a retarding effect, 

 although a stimulant action on the growth of root hairs was still observ- 

 able. The author has also confirmed the observation of Nobbe that a 

 chloric! is necessary for buckwheat in the production of ripe seeds. 6 



It is further claimed that sodium chlorid in the cotton plant aug- 

 ments its resistance to drought and rust fungi, and also that it toughens 

 wheat straw; further that the transformation of starch into cellulose 

 is facilitated. 



When the amount of sodium chlorid reaches a certain concentration 

 in the soil, injurious effects will be observed. The assimilation process 

 in the leaves is retarded (Schimper) in the first place. Sodium chlorid 

 also reduces the amount of chlorophyll in plants of the seacoast region, 

 but causes the leaves to increase in thickness. The intensity of assim- 

 ilation of carbonic acid is less in plants on the seacoast than in such 

 plants growing farther inland (Griffon). 



Further injurious effects are the decrease of cane sugar in the sugar 



a Pflanzenphysiol. Unters. fiber Fermentbildung, Jena, 1884. 

 l > Die Cultur der Landwirtschaftlichen Nutzpflanzen, Vol. I, p. 330. 

 cBotan. Centralbl.,1901, No. 33. 

 ^Landw. Jahrb., vol. 30, Suppl. Ill, p. 21 (1902). 



e Compare also the valuable discussion of Adolf Mayer on this question. Journ f. 

 Landwirtschaft, vol. 49, pp. 42 and .57. 



