]02 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



salt is present in them. Furthermore, the dropping of the fruits 

 occurs when tiie shoots have grown with rapidity. It always happens 

 in the rainy season, from the middle of June to July, when the roots 

 are in great activity. In this case an abundance of soluble salts in 

 the soil would retard the absorption of water by the roots. " Mix- 

 ture of salts impedes absorption more than pure salts, and certain kinds, 

 sodium chloride, for example, act more energetically than others, for 

 example, saltpetre," says Professor Schimper.* " Sodium chloride 

 acts on the vegetable organism in part physically, since, like other 

 saline solutions, it impedes the osmotic absorption of water through 

 the roots, and in part chemically, as after its entrance into the cells 

 it affects metabolism. Hansteen has made it probable that sodium 

 chloride, as well as potassium chloride, stands in a certain relation to 

 the manufacture of proteids from amides and carbohydrates." 



From these results it appears highly probable that Kaki trees are 

 much impeded in absorption by the application of salt to the roots, 

 thereby causing physiological drought to the roots, even if the soil be 

 saturated with water. The growth of the shoots is consequently 

 retarded or inhibited, and the premature dropping of the fruits can be 

 prevented. It may also be prevented by making oblique cuts in the 

 stems to lessen the flow of sap to some extent. 



* Plant Geography upon a Physiological Basis, Eng. Translation, 1903. 



