1854. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
835 
Influence -of Ammonia on Vegetation. 
Tfsm&lat&J . from -the ■Frerfeh for the 'Country Cen&emam-, 
'BY S, W. JOHNSON-. 
£We are greatly indebted to our friend, Mr. Jbft'Ns.oW, 
who is still pursuing his chemical studies under TBaron 
hiEBm at Mnwich, for the foliowing translation of an 
important pamper published ia 'the Proceedings of the 
Academy of -Sciences at Paris., on. f the influence of 
Ammonia in the air, upon the Development of Plants, 
by Vm.le/’ It is upon investigations like this, con- 
dacted by careful and competent men, that we must rely 
for any real progress in the Science pf plant culture.] 
I. When ammonia is added to the air,'* vegetation 
displays a considerably increased activity. The influ¬ 
ence of this .-.gas, when constituting 4-10.000 of the 
weight ef the air,—becomes visible after 8 to 10 days ; 
and after this period manifests 'itself with constantly 
increasing intensify. The leaves, at first pale greeti, 
assume a deeper and deeper color—there comes indeed, 
a time when they are almost black—their stems are 
long and upright, and their surfaces large and glossy* 
At the end of vegetation, it is found that. the. produce 
is far greater than in,the same plants which have grown 
impure air; the plants weigh more, and contain almost 
double the amount of nitrogen. 
The action of ammonia on vegetation, is accordingly 
two-foid—1. It greatly promotes the,growth of plants ; 
and 2. It makes them richer in nitrogen. This is 
shown by the results of the following experiments in 
which two equal quantities of seed were vegetated— 
the one in pure air, the other -so an atmosphere mixed 
with 4-i0.00-0 of ammonia.. 
In 1Q50, the harvest, (kind of plant aot given) thus 
obtained in pure air, weighed (dried at 280°) 990 
grains—that in the ammojo-ia atmosphere, 1,658 grains. 
The first contained 19J grains of nitrogen—-the latter 
65£ grains. 
In 1851, ^ harvest (kind ©f pi ant not given). obtain¬ 
ed in pure air, weighed 1060 grains, -and contained 7j 
grains nitrogen—the same crop grown in ammonia; at¬ 
mosphere, weighed 2086 grains, and contained 23 grains 
nitrogen. 
In 1852, 30 kernels of wheat vegetated in pure air, 
and produced 183 grams of straw and 47 kernels, 
which weighed 170 grains. The same ifffrnber-of ker¬ 
nels grown in air containing 4-10.000 of ammonia, 
■yielded 339 grains of straw, and 75 seeds which weigh¬ 
ed 290 grains. 
The straw grown in pure air, contained 7-10 grain 
of nitibgen—that produced in the "ammonia atmos¬ 
phere, 2| grains. 
The seeds grown in "pure air, contained' 3| grains of 
* In the account of these experiments from which I trans¬ 
late, it is not staled whether, by the term pure air, is meant 
air deprived of ail ammonia, or air pure ,from any artificial 
admixture, 7. e., as it ex sts under-ord nary circumstances. 
This, .hew-ewr,- is unimportant. The experiments were ne¬ 
cessarily mode on a small scale; yet they were carried out 
ith such care, and agree so well with each other, as to be 
eul.tleu to confidence. Trans. 
ifltrcgen-—those which Vegetated in the' ammonia ate 
fnogphere, i€ grains.'*" ' 
II. In addition teithis general offset, -ammonia pro¬ 
duces others-; which, though variable, aind dependant 
upon special conditions, are never the less highly inter¬ 
esting. 
It is- ©tit dn-ly possible, by means -of' ammonia, thus 
to exalt the vegetative development, but to change its 
order-; in -fact, to check seme functions, and to increase 
the sfe© and number of ■ -certain organs.' 
When the application'd-f ammonia is badly cob. duct- 
fed, it may lead to injurious results. Those which oc¬ 
curred in the course of my investigations, seem to me 
to shed an ■ Unexpected light upon the .mechaMsm of 
vegetable'nutrition; they -have at least indicated tome 
a method by which -gaseous- ammonia -may be -praette 
caMy applied to facilitate vegetation. It is of course 
true, that this can only be the case in green-houses 
and.the like. I shall hereafter-mention to what degree 
the application may be extended. 
III. Upon plants, several, months before their flow¬ 
ering, ammonia exercises no -influence beyond causing 
a general exuberance of growth. The usual course of 
development is undisturbed. It indeed often happens 
that plants, which do not blossom in pure air, and on a 
poor soil, not only come to flower, but also fully fructi¬ 
fy on the same soil, but m an ammoniacal atmosphere. 
If the circumstances of the experiment are a little al¬ 
tered—If the plants have arrived at their blossom-time, 
when first exposed to the action of ammonia, its effects 
are entirely different. 
Under these-new conditions, the production of flowers 
is delayed, and the vegetation unfolds itself in a new 
direction. It might be said that the plant goes back, 
and lives over again the period it has just finished. 
The stem ends itself* and branches out in all directions ; 
it puts forth numerous leaves, and then, if the season 
be not too far advanced, it yields flowers, which how¬ 
ever are all unfruitful. 
If the experiment be made with the cereal grains, 
whose tabular Stems do not permit the extension of 
branches, then the growth of the already headed stalk 
is checked, and the root shoots out many sprouts which 
soon attain a greater height than the mother plant. 
Also In this ease no fruit is perfected. 
IV. All these phenomena are fully in accordance 
with the general laws of Physiology. All organized 
structures are subject to a law of compensation, which 
maintains harmony between' the various functions, and 
regulates the development of the organs. When one 
organ attains unusual perfection, it is at the expense 
of another; and when one function is exercised with 
* The experiments of Ville, were •conducted in large glass 
chambers, the air and-moisture of which were consianily 
renewed, so that the circumstances of the included plants 
were nearly as favorable to their growth, as they could have 
been in the f ee air. The chambers were so arranged, that 
the composition of the air before entering, and after leaving 
them, 'could be accurate y ascertain'd, and any desired 
amount of any gas, as ammonia, could be introduced at 
pleasure. 8. W. J. 
