9 8 
Smith and Butler . — Relation of 
Nutritive solution D was prepared as indicated in Table VII. It will 
be noticed that it possesses the same concentration per litre as solution C, 
but differs from it in containing more magnesium and sulphur, but less 
calcium, and a calcium-magnesium ratio of 4*55:1 instead of 10-9:7. 
Solution D differs from solution A in containing more magnesium, calcium, 
and sulphur, and in possessing a greater concentration. The differences 
between solutions D and A are more material than the differences between 
solutions A and C excepting in the matter of the calcium- magnesium ratio. 
Nutritive solution E,as will be seen from a consideration of Table VIII, 
resembles closely solution D, but differs from it in containing less sulphur 
and a lower concentration — 3-04 grm. per litre instead of 4-22 grm. Solu- 
tion E contains the same concentration of salts as solution B, but a calcium- 
magnesium ratio of 4-55 : 1 instead of 10-9 : 1. In elemental composition it 
differs from solution B in containing more magnesium and sulphur, but less 
calcium. 
Table IX. Rate of groivth of Blue stem Wheat plants in 
nutritive solutions A, D, and E. 
Growth 
measured 
after 
Days. 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
9 
13 
18 
Nutritive solution A. 
Min. 
Max. 
Mean. 
Cm. 
Cm. 
Cm. 
7*° 
9.0 
8.5 
10.5 
13.0 
11.8 
14-0 
16-0 
14.9 
15-5 
18.0 
16-5 
i6«o 
20-0 
17.6 
18.0 
24.O 
22.1 
25.0 
28.0 
26.6 
33-5 
4°-5 
36-5 
Growth of plants in 
Nutritive solution D. 
Min. 
Max. 
Mean. 
Cm. 
Cm. 
Cm. 
8.0 
10-0 
9.2 
12-0 
x 3-5 
12.6 
1.5-0 
17.0 
15.8 
1 6-o 
19-5 
18.0 
i3-o 
21-0 
19-0 
21-0 
2 5 .° 
23-5 
27.0 
3 * 2, 3 4 5 6 7 ° 
28.3 
34-o 
4r*o 
37-5 
Nutritive solution £. 
Min. 
Max. 
Mean. 
Cm. 
Cm. 
Cm. 
6*o 
8-5 
7-4 
7-5 
IX -5 
9.8 
10*0 
i4'5 
12*7 
1 2.0 
16.5 
J 4'4 
14-0 
17.0 
15.8 
15.0 
18.5 
i6«4 
16*0 
24.0 
20.2 
18.0 
2 4*5 
21. 1 
The experiment was begun on October 3 and closed on October 24 ; 
that is, the plants were grown for twenty-one days as in Experiment 1. 
Again the full nutritive solutions behaved in a very similar manner and 
absence of potassium resulted in the same lack of vigour and gradual 
drying up of the foliar tissues. At the end of the experiment the plants in 
solutions A and D were healthy and growing vigorously, and possessed 
usually three stems and never less than two, and the roots were long, 
glistening, white, and well branched. The plants in solution E, on the other 
hand, were puny, showed no evidence of stooling, and their leaves were 
drying up from the tips, and irregularly in other parts of the blades, but 
these changes were not preceded by any visible chlorophyll decomposition. 
The root system of the plants was poorly developed, and the secondary 
roots were rarely 1 cm. long. 
Measurements taken of the rate of growth of the plants permit one 
more accurately to visualize the effect of the various solutions on growth. 
The data obtained is given in Table IX. It will be noticed that already on 
