Insectivorous Plants

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174 DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA. CHAP, VI II. CHAPTER VIII. THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS SALTS AND ACIDS ON THE IJEA VES. Salts of sodium, potassium, and other alkaline, earthy, and metallic salts- Summary on the action of these salts- Various acids­Summary on their action. HAVING found that the salts of ammonia were so powerful, I was led to investigate the action of some other salts. It will be convenient, first, to give a list of the substances tried (including forty-nine salts and two 1netallic acids), divided into two cohunns, sho,ving those which cause inflection, and those which do not do so, or only doubtfully. My experiments were made by placing half-minim drops on the discs of leaves, or, more commonly, by immersing them in the solutions; and sometimes by both 1nethocls. A summary of the results, with some concluding remarks, will then be given. The action of various acids will afterwards be described. SALTS CAUSING INFLECTION. SALTS NOT CAUSING INFLECTION. (Arranged in G1·oups according to the Chemical Classification in lVatts' 'Dictionary of Ohemisb·y.') Sodium carbonate, rapid inflec­tion. Sodium nitrate, rapid inflection. Sodium sulphate, moderately mpid inflection. Sodium phosphate, very rapid in­flection. Sodium citrate, rapid inflection. · Sodium oxalate, rapid inflection. Sodium chloride, moderately rapid inf:l.ection. Potassium carbonate: slowly poi­sonous. Potassium nitrate: somewhat poi­sonous. Potassium sulphate. Potassium phosphate. Potassium citrate. Potassium chloride. CHAP •. VIII. EFFECTS OF VARIOUS SALTS. 175 SALTS CAUSING IN"FLECTION. SALTS NOT CAU~lNG INFLECTION. (.4rranged in Groups according to the Chemical Classification in Watts' ~ Dictiona1·y of Chemistry.' Sodium iodide, rather slow inflec- Potassium iod.ide, a slight and tion. doubtful amount of intlection. Sodium bromide, moderately rapid Potaf:lsium bromide. inflection. Potassium oxalate, slow and ' doubtful inflection. Lithium nitrate, mod.erately rapid Lithium acetate. inflection. Ct.esium chloride, rather slow in- Rubidium chloride. flection. Silver nitrate, rapid inflection: quick poison. Cadmium chloride, slow inflection. Mercury perchloride, rapid inflec­tion: quick poison. Aluminium chloride slow and doubtful inflection.' Gold chloride, rapid inflection : quick poison. Calcium acetate. Calcium nitrate. Magnesium acetate. Magne ium nitrate. Magnesium chloride. Magnesium sulphate. Barium acetate. Barium nitrate. Strontium acetate. Strontium nitrate. Zinc chloride. Aluminium nitrate, a trace of in­f: l.ection. Aluminium and potassium sul­phate. Tin chloride, slow inflection: poi- Lead chloride. sonous. An~imony tartrate, slow inflec­twn.: probably poisonous. Arse~nous acid, quick inflection: pOisonous. Iron chloride, slow inflection · probably poisonous. · Ohr?mic acid, quick inflection : highly poisonous. Ooppel: chloride, rather slow in­. fiectwn : poisonous. NICkel chloride, rapid inflection. pr?bably poisonous. · Pla.tmum chloride, rapid inflec­twn: poisonous. }!anganese chloride. Cobalt chloride .