28 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. V, No. i 
Tabl$ XI .—Effect of concentration of salts in solution cultures on the growth of wheat 
seedlings. Average of 45 glasses for each concentration , with sodium sulphate , sodium 
carbonate , sodium chlorid , calcium chloride potassium chloride potassium nitrate, 
magnesium nitrate, and sodium nitrate in various combinations 
Concentration of 
salts in solution. 
Number 
of plants 
alive. 
Number 
of leaves 
per 
plant. 
Height 
of 
plants. 
Length 
of 
roots. 
Ratio of 
height to 
length 
of root. 
Dry 
weight 
of tops. 
Dry 
weight 
of roots. 
Ratio of 
weight 
of tops 
to roots. 
P. p. m . 
None. 
9*7 
1. 97 
Inches. 
7-5 
Inches . 
3*9 
1. 92:1 
Gm. 
O. 123 
Gm. 
O. 052 
2.36:1 
1,000.. 
9.0 
1. 91 
8. 6 
4.4 
1. 91: r 
* 143 
. 046 
3 * 37 :i 
2,000. 
7.8 
1. 72 
6. 8 
3*4 
1. 96:1 
•123 
.044 
3.04:1 
3>ooo.. 
5 - 1 
1. 67 
6.8 
3*6 
1. 88:1 
*137 
. 048 
3.08:1 
4,000. 
5-7 
1. 41 
6. 0 
3*2 
1. 87:1 
*123 
•045 
2.83:1 
S>°o 0. 
5-7 
1. 70 
5*4 
3 *o 
1. 88:1 
. 118 
.052 
2. 40:1 
6,000. 
5-8 
1. 62 
5-7 
3 * 1 
1, 90:1 
•133 
.050 
2. 67:1 
7,000 .... 
4 . I 
i- 34 
4. 6 
2. 8 
1. 81:1 
. 100 
. 040 
2. 43*‘i 
8,000. 
4-3 
i -43 
4.1 
2*3 
1. 74:1 
. 096 
.038 
2. 46:1 
9,000 . 
4.4 
i -37 
4. 1 
2*3 
1. 74:1 
. 105 
. 040 
2. 58:1 
10,000. 
3- 8 
1. 29 
3*2 
2. 0 
1. 70:1 
. IOO 
•043 
2 * 37 ^ 
Table XII shows the effect of the individual salts when used alone. 
The results given in this table are the averages of various concentrations, 
from 1,000 to 10,000 p. p. m. In interpreting these figures it must be 
remembered that no nutrient solution was added where the single salt 
was present. Using the average height of plants as an index, the toxicity 
of the salts was in the following order: Sodium carbonate, sodium 
chlorid, magnesium nitrate, sodium sulphate, magnesium chlorid, sodium 
nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chlorid, and calcium chlorid. 
Table) XII .—Growth of wheat seedlings in solution cultures of various salts. Average 
of 10 concentrations of each salt 
Salt. 
Num¬ 
ber of 
plants 
alive. 
Aver¬ 
age 
leaves 
per 
plant. 
Height 
of 
plants. 
Length 
of 
roots. 
Ratio of 
height 
to root 
length. 
Dry , 
weight 
of 
tops. 
Dry 
weight 
of 
roots. 
Ratio of 
weight of 
tops to 
roots. 
In. . 
In. 
Gm. 
Gm. 
Sodium sulphate... 
4. 8 
1.4 
4-2 
2. 2 
1.91:1 
0. 096 
0. 044 
2. 18:1 
Sodium carbonate. 
I. 7 
I. 2 
2. I 
I. 6 
1.31:1 
.063 
. 028 
2. 25:1 
Sodium chlorid. 
• 5*2 
1*3 
3 * 1 
2 . O 
I* 55 ^ 
. 092 
. 046 
2. 00:1 
Calcium chlorid. 
8.4 
1.8 
7*9 
3*2 
I. 88:i 
. 130 
. 066 
1. 97:1 
Magnesium chlorid. 
6. 0 
1. 6 
5 *o 
!* 5 
3 * 33 :1 
. 109 
.036 
3*03:1 
Potassium chlorid. 
7 * 1 
1. 6 
6. 2 
2. 6 
2. 38:1 
. 126 
.051 
2. 47:1 
Potassium nitrate. 
6. 0 
1.8 
5*8 
2.7 
2. 15:1 
*154 
• 039 
3 * 95 :i 
Magnesium nitrate. 
2. 5 
i *3 
3*4 
i *5 
2. 27:1 
•073 
.031 
2.35:1 
Sodium nitrate. 
4*4 
i *5 
5*4 
2.7 
2. 00:1 
• 113 
. 041 
2. 76:1 
A rather conspicuous point in the table is the high ratio of tops to 
roots, both as to length and weight, in the cultures containing mag¬ 
nesium chlorid. The roots w r ere also very short with magnesium nitrate, 
