OF NEUTRAL SODIUM SULPHITE UPON PH^NOGAMS. 261 



healthy and green, as also did the plumula. Two days later I 

 observed with these plants that every leaf was completely 

 withered, while the control plants had still a healthy appearance, 

 with the exception of the older leaves showing a yellow 

 colouration. 



The growth of the leaves is seen from the following table : — 



Barley plants kept in 



Length of Shoot 



Percentage of 

 increase 



At the beginning 



After 5 days 



Sodium sulphite and 

 gypsum. 



24.0 cm. 



242. cm. 



0.83 



Sodium sulphate and 

 gypsum. 



23.8 ,. 



25.2 „ 



5.88 



Water half saturated 

 with gypsum. 



24.0 „ 



25.8 ,. 



7-50 



II. Experiments 7vith Branches. 



On the 1 2th April, short branches about 20 cm. in length 

 with many .flower buds, of Prunus Persica and Pruniis triflora 

 were placed in 100 c.c. of a \% solution of sodium sulphite and 

 for control in a \% solution of sodium sulphate and in plain 

 water ; in these three cases the solutions were half saturated with 

 calcium sulphate. 



The result is seen from the following tables : 



Primus Persica. 





Sodium sulphite 



Sodium sulphate. 



\\'ater. 



April isth. 



No buds opened. 



Three buds opened, 



Twelve buds opened. 



April 20th. 



Three buds opened, 

 but two of them were 

 withering ; six were 

 half opened, but per- 

 fectly withered, the 

 remaining five re- 

 mained closed. 



Eleven buds entirely 

 opened, three nearly 

 opened ; all healthy. 



All thirteen buds 

 opened and were of 

 normal appearance. 



