INFLUENCE OF THE ALKALI SALTS UPON THE GROWTH OF RICE PLANTS, 255 
From the results of the investigations above noted, it will be observed 
that the salts act on the growth of young seedlings as a toxic or a stimu- 
lating agent, according to their concentration. Our results with rice confirm 
the same view. 
Taking the results of our own experiments and those of Kearney 
and Harter into consideration, it may be inferred that maize is decidedly 
the most resistant of cereals. The resistant power of wheat and rice stands 
next to maize, while sorghum and oats are on the whole the least resist- 
ant cereals. 
C. Experiments with Salts in Soil as regards their 
Influence upon the Growth of Rice Plants. 
As it is shown by Kearney, Cameron" and others that the point 
and order of toxicity of the salts determined by the experiments with 
pure solutions differ materially from those obtained by field experiments, 
the following experiments were planned and carried out. 
One hundred porcelain pots, each holding 2000 grams of poor soil, 
were arranged in two series and 1200 cc. of water was then added to 
each pot. On June 21th (191 1), three seedlings of about 15 cm. high 
were transplanted in each pot. While plants in one pot served for control, 
to the other 49 pots in two series each salt was added in the amount of 
1, 1/2, 1/10, 1/20, 1/100, 1/200 and 1/1000 gram molecular weight. The 
given amount of each salt was added in five fractions, in the form of 
solution, on July 12, 17, 22, 27 and August 2. The evaporated water 
was supplemented with water from time to time until the period of the 
blossom. When the total amount of each salt was entirely added, the 
difference in their growth was striking; on September 13, the following 
determinations of the height of plants were made. 
1). Kearney, and Cameron, — Bull. No. 71, Bureau of Plant Industry, U.S. Dept. of 
Agriculture (1902). 
