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JOURNAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



gallon, and, of this, 55-27 grains per gallon consisted of chloride of sodium. 

 A water of such a saline character is eminently unsuitable for horti- 

 cultural use. 



In the third case rain-water had been used, but it was mentioned that 

 when the water was used in spring or in summer for syringing the 

 plants, the points of the leaves died just where the drops of water 

 collected, but that when sj-ringing was discontinued the leaves grew again 

 and became healthy. This pointed to the probability of something being 

 amiss with the water. Examination of it showed it to contain 8-68 grains 

 per gallon of total solids, a quantity certainly in excess of that which an 

 ordinary rain-water sample would contain. 



A more striking feature, however, was that the water contained high 

 amounts of chlorides and sulphates, and there were no less than 2"25 grains 

 per gallon of sulphur compounds reckoned as sulphuric acid. 



Inquiry as to the surrounding circumstances ehcited the information 

 that the garden where the water was used was in the near vicinity of 

 works from which smoke and fumes proceeded. No doubt the air, and 

 consequently the rain-water, became much charged with the products thus 

 emitted, thereby accounting for the injury done to the plants. 



