Permeability 91 
indicated by the change in electrical conductivity is shown in Table 
XLII for the nitrates examined. 
Table XLII. 
Absorption of Salt by Carrot Tissue from Solutions of Various Nitrates 
in a Concentration of 0-02 N. (Data from Stiles and Kidd) 
Change in conductance of solutions 
Time 
in 
Potassium 
Sodium 
Calcium 
Zinc 
Aluminium 
hours 
nitrate 
nitrate 
nitrate 
nitrate 
nitrate 
o-5 
- 183 
- 89 
- 86 
- 57 
- 20 
19-25 
- 891 
- 659 
-215 
+107 
-135 
71-50 
-2032 
-1360 
-493 
+ 540 
- 268 
These results are in themselves sufficient to show that the initial 
rate of absorption is dependent on some other factor besides the 
position of equilibrium. These experiments and those made with 
chlorides and sulphates indicate that if kations are arranged in order 
of the initial rate of absorption of salts containing them and a 
common anion the following series is obtained: 
K, [Na, Ca], Li, Mg, Zn, Al, 
the relative position of ions placed within square brackets being 
doubtful. The chief difference between this order and that of the 
total amount of salt absorbed lies in the position of calcium in the 
series. Mobility of kation and coefficient of diffusion appear to play 
a considerable part in determining the initial order of absorption, 
as might indeed be expected. 
Table XLIII. 
Absorption of Salt by Carrot Tissue from Solutions of Various 
Potassium Salts in a Concentration of 0*02 N. 
(Data from Stiles and Kidd) 
Change in conductance of solutions 
Time 
( 
-A- 
in 
Potassium 
Potassium 
Potassium 
hours 
chloride 
sulphate 
nitrate 
0-25 
- 145 
-212 
- 197 
2-25 
- 233 
- 258 
- 214 
19-0 
- 550 
- 266 
- 625 
42-0 
-1042 
-331 
-1152 
The experimental results with three potassium salts are shown 
in Table XLIII. From these results it appears that the initial order 
of absorption of anions is 
S 0 4 , N 0 3 , Cl, 
