187 
TABLE IV. — Growth of Snowdrops. 
No. 
Weight cf 
Fresh 
Bulb. 
Date. 
Weight of 
Dried Bulb, 
Plant, &c. 
Loss 
per 
Cent. 
Date. 
No. of 
Days’ 
growth. 
Conditions of 
growth. 
Remarks. 
grains 
1885. 
grains 
1 
48 
Oct. 24. 
22-5 
53*2 
None. 
None. 
No growth. 
2 
48 
33 
21 
56-3 
33 
33 
33 
3 3 3 3 
3 
37 
Oct. 20. 
17 
60 
Dec. 29 
70 
In Light. 
In sand, in cel- 
lar. 
About 2|in. long — 
burnt in drying. 
4 
42-5 
33 
14-5 
65-5 
Jan. 5, 
1866. 
77 
Ditto. 
About Sin. long— ■ 
slightly burnt in 
drying. 
5 
42 
3 ) 
17 
59.6 
Jan. 8, 
1866. 
80 
Ditto. 
Ditto. 
It was found that in every case the result was the same — 
in darkness and in light, whether water, sand, earth-mould, 
or cocoa-fibre were used — the loss of substance up to the 
period of cultivation observed was constant, and to some 
extent increased with the growth of the plant. In the 
darkness, in some instances, the loss of weight was less than 
in the light, in others there was little or no difference. In 
the case of bulbs it seems probable that it is only when 
the plant has ceased flowering, and when the secondary 
bulbs are being formed, that there is any material gain in 
weight. 
Mons. Boussingault’s experiments ( Gomptes Rendus , vi, 
p. 102) on the absorption of nitrogen by plants were quoted, 
and it was shown that they were in general accordance 
with the results obtained by the author, and they indicate 
moreover in which of the elements the chief loss takes place. 
Tables were shown giving the results of these analyses. 
In the early stages of growth there was little variation in 
the quantity of nitrogen contained in the plant, but that 
little was on the side of increase ; the hydrogen also was 
only slightly altered by diminution, but the carbon and the 
oxygen both disappear for some time in proportion to the 
extent of growth. In the later stages of cultivation of both 
