42 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. V, No»i 
ACTION OF THE VARIOUS IONS 
COMPARISONS OF CATIONS AND ANIONS 
In order to determine the effect of the different ions and to compare 
the relative action of the cations and anions, the results of the various 
tests were summarized and are presented in Tables XIII and XIV. 
These data represent the averages of the various concentrations of the 
salts in three different soils; hence, they should be fairly reliable. 
On examining Table XIII it will be seen that the chlorid was by far 
the most toxic anion, followed by the nitrate, carbonate, and sulphate 
in the order named. This order held for all salts regardless of the basic 
ion, and is contrary to ideas on the subject previously held, as the 
carbonate was thought by many writers to be most injurious. 
Table XIII .—Effect of various anions on the germination and growth of wheat . Aver¬ 
age for 3 soils and io concentrations for each soil 
Ions. 
Number 
of trials. 
Number 
of plants 
germi¬ 
nated. 
Days to 
come up. 
Average 
height of 
plants. 
Average 
number 
of leaves 
per plant 
Weight 
of dry 
matter 
per glass. 
vSodium — 
Chlorid. 
30 
2-3 
II. 2 
Inches. 
4-3 
I* 35 
Git1, 
0. 020 
Sulphate. 
Carbonate... 
3 ° 
7.0 
9.0 
7 *o 
i *77 
, IOI 
30 
6.2 
7*7 
5*9 
1. 67 
. O72 
Nitrate. 
30 
3*3 
8.6 
5*5 
1. 62 
•035 
Average of sodium salts. 
120 
4. 7 
9. 1 
5*7 
1. 60 
• 057 
Potassium — 
Chlorid. 
30 
3 *i 
11. 6 
5*2 
i* 54 
. 040 
Sulphate. 
Carbonate. 
30 
7 - 1 
6-5 
7*3 
i* 75 
. IOI 
30 
6.4 
S- ® 
6.9 
1, 61 
. 087 
Nitrate. 
30 
3*7 
9.0 
3*4 
1. 29 
.074 
Average of potassium 
salts. 
120 
5 * 1 
8.5 
5*7 
i* 55 
. 076 
Magnesium — 
Chlorid . 
30 
3*4 
12. 8 
5 * 1 
1-49 
• 039 
Sulphate.. 
Carbonate. 
30 
7*9 
6.7 
7*3 
1. 72 
• 105 
30 
4. 6 
8.8 
5*6 
1. 63 
.052 
Average of magnesium 
salts. 
90 
5*3 
9.4 
6. 0 
1. 61 
.065 
Calcium— 
Chlorid. 
30 
2.8 
12.1 
4-9 
x .66 
. 031 
Ammonium— 
Carbonate. 
3 ® 
. 3*3 
6. 0 
4.2 
1. 17 
.044 
In Table XIV a comparison is made of the various cations. Sodium is 
seen to be most injurious of all the bases except ammonium. Sodium 
is followed by calcium, potassium, and magnesium in the order named. 
This same order of toxicity held with all the acid radicals that were tried. 
