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Show 142 DROSERA RO'rtJNDIFOLIA. CHAP. VII. did not bend. Two other plants were placed with their roots surrounded by damp moss, in half an ounce (14·198 ml.) of a solution of one part of the carbonate to 218 of water, and were observed for 24 hrs.; but not a single tentacle was inflected. In order to produce this effect, the carbonate must be absorbed by the glands. The vapour produces a powerful effect on the glands, and induces inflection. Three plants with their roots in bottles, so that the surrounding air could not have become very humid, were placed under a bell-glass (holding 122 fluid ounces), together · with 4 grains of carbonate of ammonia in a watch-glass. After an interval of 6 hrs. 15m. the leaves appeared unaffected ; but next morning, after 20 hrs., the blackened glands were secreting copiously, and most of the tentacles were strongly inflected. These plants soon died. Two other plants were placed under the samo bellglass, together with half a grain of the carbonate, the air being rendered as damp as possible; and in 2 hrs. most of the leaves were affected, many of tho glands being blackened and the tentacles inflected. But it is a curious fact that some of the closely adjoining tentacles on the same leaf, both on the disc and round the margins, were much, and some, apparently, not in the least affected. The plants were kept under the bell-glass for 24 hrs., but no further change ensued. One healthy leaf was hardly at all affected, though other leaves on the same plant were much affected. On some leaves all the tentacles on ono side, but not those on the opposite side, were inflected. I doubt whether this extremely unequal action can be explained by supposing that the more active glands absorb all the vapour as quickly as it is generated; so that none is left for the others; for we shall meet with CHAP. VII. CARBONATE OF AMMONIA. 143 analogous cases with air thoroughly permeated with the va pours of chloroform and ether. Minute particles of the carbonate were added to the secretion surrounding several glands. These instantly became black and secreted copiously ; but, except in two instances, when extremely minute particles were given, there was no inflection. This result is analogous to that which follows from the immersion of leaves in a strong solution of one part of the carbonate to 109, or 146, or even 218 of water, for the leaves are then paralysed and no inflection ensues, though the glands are blackened, anu the protoplasm in the cells of the tentacles undergoes strong aggregation. We will now turn to the effects of solutions of the carbonate. Half-minims of a solution of one part to 437 of water were placed on the discs of twelve leaves; so that each received olo of a grain or · 0675 mg. Ten of these had their exterior tentacles well inflected; the blades of some being also much curved inwards. In two cases several of the exterior tentacles were inflected in 35 m.; but the movement was generally slower. These ten leaves re-expanded in periods varying between 21 hrs. and 45 hrs., but in one case not until 67 hrs. had elapsed; so that they re-expanded much more quickly than leaves which have caught insects. The same-sized drops of a solution of one part to 875 of water were placed on the discs of eleven leaves; six remained quite unaffected, whilst five had from three to six or .eight of their exterior tentacles inflected; but this degree of movement can hardly be considered as trustworthy. Each of these leaves received nk of a grain ('0337 mg.), distributed between the glands of the disc, but this was too small an amount to produce any decided effect on the exterior tentacles, the glands of which had not themselves received any of the salt. Minute drops on the head of a small pin, of a solution of one part of the carbonate to 218 of water, were next tried in the manner above described. A drop of this kind equals on an average to of a minim, and therefore contains <rs-1 00 of a grain ( · 0135 mg.) of the carbonate. I touched with it the viscid secretion round three glands, so that each gland received only |