Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. ~ errs —— . pO. ae oe 5 = > 7 oe Pek ah fe— 0: a a ae . 9 AS) * T = i - by Oe etal cs wis E r i Pees) a rr d a’ Sehr Lege! Xs) ris « ~ y * ena tee 17, x ae ett i AS Je “ fhe Mod | = : - > ue Me 9 S ove ay, ‘i y 3 - s 2% = ee a , A 7 ay os ~ uae a ss ve ig Boy ar OR i . ou Ce Issued July 15, 1911. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY BULLETIN No. 138. H, W. WILEY, Chief of Bureau. Wier hi Sat be 3 < m Maps EM hase 9 ; “Ay esa ey Ey Su 7 T Via! Geax Sea he oi er SW eR Ie ‘ ey A oy * . a ww AMT, ors + ; PR Ee os Se Tee * pit a oe ms “aay BS sia io 4 = < fF | ‘TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD AND ELABORA- TION OF ORGANIC PLANT MATERIAL IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS BY J. A. LE CLERC anp J. F. BREAZEALE, . Laboratory of Plant Phystological Chemistry. ee? te oe nap ee ee ea ww F ~ "4! le glee i d oe fo os OFF (ox, f= C cf (== X= fe: ec: ‘S| 0 6, = le G —=———! Cy on ie nf fe! o Wilks PRL a 7 7 ‘t 70 ‘ = - + mee ee a, . —_ WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1911. Issued July 15, 1911. boo DE PAR wMEND OF AGRICUL TURE, BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY—BULLETIN No. 188, H. W. WILEY, Chief of Bureau. TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD AND ELABORA- TION OF ORGANIC PLANT MATERIAL IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS, BY Jj. A LE CLERC ann J. F. BREAZEALE, Laboratory of Plant Physiological Chemistry. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIOR. 1911, ORGANIZATION OF BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY. H. W. Wirey, Chemist and Chief of Bureau. F. L. Dunuap, Associate Chemist; Acting Chief in absence of Chief. W. D. BicEeLtow, Assistant Chief of Bureau. F. B. Linton, Chief Clerk. A. L. Pierce, Editor. A. E. Drarer, Librarian. Division of Foods, W. D. Bicetow, Chief. Food Inspection Laboratory, L. M. Totman, Chief. Food Technology Laboratory, E. M. Cuace, Chief, and Assistant Chief of Division. Oil, Fat, and Wax Laboratory, H. 8. Bamey, Chief. Division of Drugs, L. F. KEBLErR, Chief. Drug Inspection Laboratory, G. W. Hoover, Chief. Synthetic Products Laboratory, W. O. Emery, Chief. Essential Oils Laboratory, wnder Chief of Division. Pharmacological Laboratory, WM. SALant, Chief. Chief Food and Drug Inspector, W. G. CAMPBELL. Miscellaneous Division, J. K. Haywoop, Chief. Water Laboratory, W. W. SKINNER, Chief. Cattle-Food and Grain Laboratory, G. L. Bripwe.1, Acting. Insecticide and Fungicide Laboratory, C. C. McDONNELL, Chief. Trade Wastes Laboratory, under Chief of Division. Contracts Laboratory, P. H. WaLkerr, Chief. Dairy Laboratory, G. E. Patrick, Chief. Food Research Laboratory, M. KE. Pennineton, Chief. Leather and Paper Laboratory, F. P. Verrcn, Chief. 9 Microchemical Laboratory, B. J. Howarp, Chief. Physical Chemistry Laboratory, C. 8. Hupson, Chief. Sugar Laboratory, A. H. Bryan, Chief. Sections: Animal Physiological Chemistry, F. C. WEBER, in Charge. Bacteriological Chemistry, G. W. STILEs, in Charge. Enological Chemistry, W. B. ALtwoop, in Charge. Nitrogen, T. C. TrEscot, in Charge. Plant Physiological Chemistry, J. A. Le Cuierc, Chief. Food and Drug Inspection Laboratories: Boston, B. H. Smiru, Chief. Buffalo, W. L. Dusots, Chief. * Chicago, A. L. Winton, Chief. Cincinnati, B. R. Hart, Chief. Denver, R. 8S. HizrtnEr, Chief. Detroit, H. L. Scuurz, Chief. Galveston, T. F. Pappr, Chief. Honolulu, Hawaii, E. B. BhancHarp, Acting. Kansas City, Mo., F. W. Liepsner, Acting. Nashville, R. W. Batcom, Chief. > New Orleans, C. W. Harrison, Chief. New York, R. E. Doourtte, Chief. Omaha, 8. H. Ross, Chief. Philadelphia, C. S. Brinton, Chief. Pittsburg, M. C. AtBrEcuH, Chief. Portland, Oreg., A. L. KnisEety, Chief. St. Louis, D. B. BrsBex, Chief. - St. Paul, A. S. Mrrcwetn, Chief. San Francisco, R. A. GouLp, Chief. Savannah, W. C. Burnet, Chief. Seattle, H. M. Loomis, Chief. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY, Washington, D. C., April 17, 1911. Sir: I have the honor to submit for your approval the accom- panying report of an investigation made by J. A. Le Clerc and J. F. Breazeale, plant physiological chemists of this bureau, on the trans- location of plant foods and the elaboration of organic plant material in wheat seedlings. JI recommend that this report be published as Bulletin No. 138 of the Bureau of Chemistry. Respectfully, EW. Warny, Chief of Bureau. Hon. JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture. 3 tO eee oy CONTENTS. HTOEPOCG IHU Cy aN ye NaN ee Se tae OS ans Cie anal aD aml TEN REIS A aun Method oisgrowine theyseed limes: V4 sie Sy i ee ae MORAN CHEOMSUEMATE IGS eee se lees ape Aca TMU Pa ROL I Seedlmesierowmordistitled waters.) 140s. 2 uu el eae ie EA ObeTSIA EO SOMMUIOI Sees sey SAS Bees ogee ec autaty Aid ey STI Maung Oo gslaa Amounts of plant food remaining in the seed.....................-.- Bxamination of theentirerplamts ope ke ah Ua eee Seedlimesiora wai mutrient solutionss 22.5 44485 oe eae Effect of solution containing one fertilizing element on absorption of ONES WIN HY WoYOrG LAR Shana a ee NE eC uate ge uate ua Une are cere en CHC ge a Relative amounts of plant food in plumule and radicle when grown in complete nutrient solution........ esta MON a OG ec Gt Mal REAM PTAC CONSUIUMCMIUS: tune vem cm Syn iver Sc eM ieee) Crudleniat peter ernie See Ne eC ey el ee ne A a vedi CIMeNsNCAR aindssMCrosee io sss acc ke new OE ON ci NN eal le, EN DIDCING TICES GIS AEE a Sie SIS SIRO areas aA Ds NN AUC ey MRT a Ia NER I Madea LDEUST RATIONS. Fig. 1. Graph showing decrease in total dry weight of plant and increase in inorganic plant constituents and weight of plumule and radicle .... 2. Graph showing decreasing weight of seed and loss of inorganic plant CONSEUEUE Tabs, UNTO Mae Lea Uae Ne Cul he gla AS ool u/c 10 11 ie a a ves ie te us te ee so) TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD AND ELABORATION OF INORGANIC PLANT MATERIAL IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. INTRODUCTION. | The results on the leaching of inorganic plant constituents from plants, especially at the ripening stage, which were published by the authors in the 1908 Yearbook of the department, as well as their unpublished work on the chemical study of field crops, par- ticularly cereals, throughout the whole growing period, have shown the desirability of studying the chemical and physiological changes which take place during the very early stages of plant growth; that is, during the first two weeks after germination. Investigations on the growth of seedlings have, for the most part, been confined to the respiration, the decomposition of the protein of the plant during germination, and the detection and isolation of various compounds formed in the plants as a direct result of the vital processes. Comparatively little work has been undertaken along the lines of the investigation herein reported, namely, the translocation of the inorganic salts from the seed to the aerial por- tion of the plant and to the rootlet, their accumulation in the plu- mule, and the formation of the various organic constituents of the plant. . In 1874 Kellner * made a study of pea seedlings, and was the first to show that the respiration was greater in dilute nitrate solution than in water culture. His analyses of the original and of the steeped pea showed that on steeping an appreciable amount of each of the inorganic constituents was dissolved, and that the amount of soluble organic substances increased, while the actual and total amount of inorganic salts decreased. Iwanow? and Zaleski found that in seedlings grown in the dark the relative amount of inorganic phos- phorus increased at thé expense of the organic phosphorus. On the other hand, Hart and Andrews? showed the reverse to be true; in other words, that the inorganic phosphorus did not increase, but that there was an increase in soluble organic phosphorus. During the germination of sunflower and hemp seed in the dark Frankfurt ¢ found that there was an increased formation of lecithins, 1 Landw. Versuchs-Stat., 1874, 17: 408. : 3 Amer. Chem. J., 1903, 80: 488. 2 J, exper. Landw. (Russian), 1902, 8 (1): 53. 4 Landw. Versuchs-Stat., 1894, 43 : 143. d 8 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. nuclein, sugars, fiber, and pentosans, and a decrease of fat and pro- tein, while the total nitrogen and ash remained unchanged. De Chalmot,! in his work on cereals, came to the conclusion that pentosans were produced from the sugars, but were not a result of direct assimilation; that the process of their formation did not con- tinue after the death of the plant, and that the pentosans in the seeds were present as reserve material. Deléano? made a study of the castor-oil bean, with special ref- erence to the behavior of the fat, and found that the fat content remained practically constant up to the eighth day after germination, after which, from the eighth to the fifteenth day, the decrease was very rapid, falling from 17 grams per 100 plants to about 2 grams without at the same time causing any appreciable loss in dry weight. Coincident with the decrease in fat there was noted a rapid increase in water soluble organic substance. André,? in a recent study of the changes taking place in bulbous plants from the planting of the bulb until the formation of the seed, showed that during the first month the dry weight of the bulb decreased, due to the fact that the aerial portion of the plant feeds on it, but later the bulb increases in weight, owing to the assimi- lative processes of the aerial portion and the subsequent storage of organic material. During the first month the increase in the ash content was found to be due almost entirely to the absorption of magnesium, calcium, and silicon, the nitrogen and phosphorus hav- ing decreased 40 and 17 per cent, respectively. At the end of the first month the aerial portion weighed twice as much as the original bulb, most of the nitrogen and phosphorus having been absorbed from the soil and not drawn from the reserve already present in the bulb. During the latter stages of growth, toward maturation, the plant used the food stored in the stem for the formation of its seed. METHOD OF GROWING THE SEEDLINGS. As it was found (see p. 10) that seeds upon being steeped or soaked excrete quite an amount of nutrient salts, the following method of erowing the seedlings was adopted: After the seeds had soaked for several hours the water was drained off and they were spread over a perforated aluminum disk, such as is used in the Bureau of Soils, which consists of a modification of that employed by De Chalmot * in 1894. The disk was then placed in a shallow pan, so that the seeds came in contact with, but were not submerged by, the water, which was specially distilled and treated with carbon black, so as to prevent any toxic action on the seedlings. The water was changed frequently. 1 Amer. Chem. J., 1894, 16 : 218, 589. 3 Bull. soc. chim. Par., 1910 (4. ser.), 7 : 865, 927. 2 Centrbl. Bakteriol. Parasit. 1909, 24 (2): 140. 4 Loc. cit. INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 6) Besides growing the seedlings in water, as a control, they were also grown in the following culture media: (a) Nitrate as sodium nitrate (NaNO,) (50 to 150 parts per mil- lion). (6) Potash as potassium sulphate (K,SO,) (50 to 150 parts per million). (c) Potash as potassium chlorid (KCI) (50 to 150 parts per mil- lion). (d) Phosphoric acid as sodium phosphate (Na,HPO,) (64 to 150 parts per million). (e) Complete— Nitrate (NO,), 50 parts per million. Potash (K,O), 50 parts per million. Phosphoric acid (P,O;), 50 parts per million. The plants were grown for 2 weeks, at room temperature, gen- erally during the winter and spring months, care being taken to grow control plants in distilled water. In about 24 hours the embryo could be seen breaking through the bran coating, and in about 48 hours the plumule and radicle were large enough to be removed from the mother seed. The axes were removed from 100 to 200 seeds every few days, and both the axes and the residual seeds analyzed separately. INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. SEEDLINGS GROWN IN DISTILLED WATER. POTASH ABSORPTION. To show with what avidity and activity these little seedlings take up potash, figure 1 was platted. This curve shows that when the seedling was 2 days old and weighed about 6 per cent as much as the whole seed (that is, when 100 axes weighed only 0.2 gram), it had absorbed about 50 per cent of the potash of the original seed, as compared with 25 per cent of nitrogen and 17 per cent of phosphoric acid. At 4 days, the axes contained almost as much potash as was present in the seed (fig. 2). At the end of 12 days, when the plants were about 6 inches high, and the residual seeds, as shown by figure 2, had given up 96 per cent of their potash, 83 per cent of their nitrogen, and 80 per cent of their phosphoric acid, the axes contained half again as much potash, 93 per cent as much nitrogen, and 75 per cent as . much phosphoric acid as did the original seed. The explanation given of this high absorption of potash is that on steeping, the seeds excrete large amounts of this plant food, which are rapidly absorbed by the seedling, the extra amount of potash coming from the ungermi- nated seeds. This fact was proved by the following experiment: 10 grams of wheat seeds were shaken with 100 cc of water and allowed 94089°—Bull. 138—11——2 10 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS to stand 24 hours. An analysis of the resultant solution gave 100 parts per million of potash, 35 parts per million of phosphoric acid, and 40 parts per million of nitrogen. These figures account in part for the greater proportion of potash that the plant took up even in water culture. The fact that the phosphoric acid found in the plant at the end of 12 days was below that contained in the original seed, simply indicates that while some phosphoric acid is leached from the seeds, the little plants do not require this element at this stage of growth and so do not absorb it to the same extent that they do potash and nitrogen. Figures 1 and 2 are based on results obtained in the PLANTS eee faire cf ol ae Cy eae | ei ees | ? | Se ol) Oe i Saeeee oe /O K / vi a PEP? CENT OF TOT-A & Fi ACE “a ; Days Fig. 1.—Graph showing deciense in Vota dry w eight ef plant and increase in inorganic pian TS and weight of plumule and radicle, first experiment using distilled water cultures, when no special precautions were taken to prevent the seedlings from assimilating the extraneous salts. The amount of potash above 100 per cent absorbed by the plant, due to the leaching out of this element from ungerminated seeds, sug- gested a modification of the method of growing the seedlings. This variation consisted in first steeping the seed for several hours, pouring off the water, resteeping in fresh water, and repeating this change of water at shorter intervals about a dozen times, after which the seeds were spread out on the aluminum disks and allowed to germinate. INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 11 This procedure, which prevented the absorption of most of the readily soluble salts of the ungerminated seeds by the growing seed- lings, was followed in the subsequent work. Not only were the seeds given a previous steeping but the solutions in which the seedlings grew were changed more frequently. AMOUNTS QF PLANT FOOD REMAINING IN THE SEED. Figure 2 shows the amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid,and potash left in the seed at intervals during a period of 12 days and the dry weight of the seed at the corresponding dates. It emphasizes how e225) ry 7 4 2 ZF F SF Se 70 , CA: eae ee ae a a= =f ae ane ESS Sa ee See OPS SSS sets 0 6c ne Se asin ce Se al ao > sol Se Dee =- Pe fe ee eee a i 28 Pt i ee ae Oo “ | 7 o 2 ‘ AGE (IN CAS Fig. 2.—Graph showing decreasing weight of seed and loss of inorganic plant constituents therein. fast the potash of the seed is depleted, the amount left in the seed at the end of 12 days being only 4 per cent of the original quantity, while in the case of nitrogen and phosphoric acid 17 and 20 per cent, ~ respectively, remain. At the end of 17 days the seeds contained only about 4 per cent of the original amounts of nitrogen, of phosphoric acid, and of potash; the report of the Microchemical Laboratory stated that the residual seed consisted of a mass of disorganized aleurone layers and bran, the cells appearing to be empty except for globules of oil. If platted at this period, and subsequently thereto, the curve would have 12 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. assumed a horizontal position, and it would seem that further absorp- tion of salts from the seeds was an impossibility, indicating that the small amounts of salts and of nitrogen left in the — coating or bran are the most difficult of absorption. EXAMINATION OF THE ENTIRE PLANT. Table 1 shows the amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the whole plant, including the axes and the residual seed, these figures being obtained on seedlings grown in distilled water, after being thoroughly steeped in many changes of water. The figures are expressed as the percentage of the original amounts, namely, seeds 100 of which contained 0.051 gram of nitrogen, 0.0328 gram of phos- phoric acid, and 0.0194 gram of potash, and which weighed 3.50 grams. TABLE 1. — Percentage amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the entire plant (plumule+radicle+residual seed), based on amounis in omtepiaat seed, [Grown in distilled water after steeping. ] had Sine Potash. | Weight. | acid. Per cent. } Per cent. | Per cent. 98 96 100 Days. | Per cent. 2 109 | 3 | 104 100 1} 93 4 | 105 98 133 92 en] LOSS pe: ee eee t3ZOne| 86 6 | 116 99 130 | 83 cal 121 98 | 124 79 9 | 121 93 138 75 12s 120 95 138 64 This table shows that even when grown in water the entire plant (residual seed plus the axes) takes up an appreciable amount of potash and nitrogen, but hardly any phosphoric acid, during the early stages of growth. It will be noticed that, although the seedlings were grown in water, the amounts of nitrogen and potash found in the plant at the end of 12 days were greater by one-fifth and over one-third, respectively, than those found in the original seed. This is due to the fact that both germinated and ungerminated seeds lost through leaching a certain amount of the salts which they contained, and that some of these salts were absorbed by the seedlings, as before explained. Experiments have demonstrated that much the greater portion of soluble plant food is removed by the first few hours of steeping, but that some inorganic constituents continue to be pro- duced by cleavage from organic compounds, even after several changes in steep water have been made. It is seen, therefore, that it is almost impossible to eliminate the slight error due to the excretion of salts from the seeds. INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 13 The weight of the entire plant gradually decreased from the begin- ning, until after 12 days a loss of approximately 40 per cent was - recorded. SEEDLINGS GROWN IN NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS. EFFECT OF ABSORPTION OF PLANT FOOD. SOLUTION CONTAINING ONE FERTILIZING ELEMENT ON Table 2 shows the effect of growing seedlings in solutions contain- ing only one fertilizing element on the absorption of that constituent by the plant, and likewise on the absorption of the other constituents dissolved from the seeds, as compared with the absorption of these same elements by plants grown in water cultures. The solutions used contained, respectively, 100 and 150 parts per million of nitrate in the form of sodium nitrate, 64 and 150 parts per million of phos- phoric acid in the form of sodium phosphate, and 50 and 150 parts per million of potash in the form of potassium chlorid. TABLE 2.—Amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the axes (plumule+radi- cle) at the end of 9 days, when grown in different nutrient solutions. ! Nitrate solutions. Constituents and total weight. Increase = Tncrease Water NO ee based on Water MO based on control. milli on water control. million water : control. ‘ control. Grams. Grams. Per cent. Grams. Grams. Per cent. INIGKOPENS 2s. se wees ae cee 0. 0466 0. 0668 43 0. 0446 0. 0600 Phosphoric acid. :.......-.--- - 0236 . 0270 14 . 0240 - 0277 15 IEXOUIEISL A 2 iv ee ipatete aell | Seee . 0173 . 0192 11 . 0186 . 0202 9 Total weight of axes......---- 1. 490 1.706 14 1. 294 1. 456 12 Phosphoric-acid solutions. Constituents and total weight. Increase Increase Water Tee. based on Water 5) bars. based on control. ia ; water control. eae water a! control. ; control. Grams. Grams. Per cent. Grams. Grams. Per cent. UNGROPEN = 08 95. ice eee e ace: 0. 0471 0. 0500 5 0. 0477 0. 0460 Phosphoric acid...........--- . 0260 . 0350 35 . 0282 . 0355 26 HEE DAS ers ye a . 0216 . 0201 0 . 0216 . 0217 0 Total weight of axes........-- 1. 435 1. 667 11 1.594 1. 654 4 = Potash solutions. Constituents and total weight. Increase Increase Water = sal based on Water ~~ Bus based on control. aon water control. mill ee water : control. 7 control. f Grams. Grams. Per cent. Grams. Grams. Per cent. IGLOS CTI sees te 0. 0460 0. 0466 0. 0488 0. 0443 0 Phosphoric acid.............. 0202 | . 0244 20 . 0255 . 0278 9 GRD 5.3 Se aie . 0202 . 0607 200 . 0231 . 0558 140 Total weight of axes......... 1. 256 1. 444 15 1. 526 1.740 14 1 See page 30, appendix, for detailed data on which this table is based. 2 Figures for 12 days. 14 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. The seedlings were grown nine days, a set of controls being grown in distilled water in every case. The table gives the percentage of - increased absorption of each salt under the various conditions as com- pared to that observed in the case of the plants grown in the control solutions. The results show that when nitrates are present the ab- sorption of that element by the axes is from 35 to 43 per cent greater than it is in a water culture containing no nitrates; when phosphates are present the absorption is increased from 26 to 35 per cent, and when potash is present the avidity which young plants display for this ele- ment causes it to absorb from 140 to 200 per cent more of this con- stituent than when grown in a water culture. It will also be noted that the presence of nitrates not only causes an increased nitrate absorption, but also seems to produce a slight increased absorption of potash and phosphoric acid. . The curve platted in figure 2 indicates that on the ninth day the seed grown in water still retained about 30 per cent of its original amount of phosphate. Part of this amount seems to have been given up to the plantlet under the influence of the nitrate stimulus. The same fact is noted when potash is added to the solution. In this case an increased absorption of from 140 to 200 per cent of potash, and of from 10 to 20 per cent of phosphoric acid occurs. No appreciable increase in absorption of nitrogen or potash is noted under the phos- phoric-acid stimulus. Another point to be observed is that the presence of 150 parts per million of phosphoric acid, nitrate, or potash, respectively, in the solution did not cause any increased absorption of any one salt by the plant over what was taken up when it grew in a solution contain- ing only from 50 to 100 parts per million, showing that as long as the little plant has plenty of food at its command the addition of a larger amount will not cause it to absorb a correspondingly larger quantity. As the table shows, the amount of potash absorbed by the plant grow- ing in the potash solution is far greater than the amount of nitrogen and phosphoric acid absorbed by the plants grown in the nitrate and phosphoric acid solutions, respectively. At the end of nine days the plant contains approximately three times as much potash as was pres- ent in the original seed, or an increase of about 200 per cent, which leads to the conclusion that plants need large amounts of potash dur- ing the early stages of growth. Another possible conclusion to be drawn from this table is that young plants do not absorb a very great amount of phosphates even when these salts are present in rather large quantities. The nitrates are taken up somewhat more readily than the phosphates, but not nearly to the extent that potash is absorbed. In other words, the plants exert a selective absorption, assimilating a large amount of INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 15 potash, not merely because it is at their command, but because they need the potash right then and there for the proper exercise of their physiological fence Regarding the increase in the weight of the clleraiee the table shows that the addition of any one salt onachreed an increased growth of from 12 to 14 per cent in dry weight in nitrate solution; a from 4 to 11 per cent in the phosphate solution; and of from 14 to 15 per cent in the potash solution. Although the seedlings take up a much larger amount of potash than of nitrogen and phosphate, it has been noted that the plants growing in the potash solution are inferior in color and in luxuriance to those grown in the other two solutions. The plants grown in the nitrate solution look the hardiest, having the best color and apparently the most green matter, while those in the phosphate solution are intermediate. No great difference was noted between the dry weight of 100 plants 12 days old, as grown in the three different culture solutions. RELATIVE AMOUNTS OF PLANT FOOD IN PLUMULE AND RADICLE WHEN GROWN IN COMPLETE NUTRIENT SOLUTION. One experiment was conducted in order to determine the relative amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash absorbed by the radicle and translocated to, and accumulated in, the plumule, and the amounts remaining in the radicle itself at different stages of erowth. This experiment was carried on both in a complete nutrient solution and in distilled water, the latter serving as the control. The weather being rather warm, the seedlings were grown in the control solution for only seven days, having at the end of this period attained about the size of seedlings twice that age when grown at a lower temperature. The seedlings in the nutritive solution, however, although grown at the same temperature, were allowed to develop for 15 days. In order to determine the amounts of salts translocated from the seed into the plumule and radicle, respectively, several hundred axes were separated from the seed and then further divided into the radicle and plumule. The results obtained are shown in the table following; all nitrogen determinations were made by T. C., Trescot. 16 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. TABLE 3.—Relative amounts of plant material in the plumule and radicle during first 15 days’ growth. WATER CULTURE. Nitrogen. Phosphorie acid. Potash. Weight. Part of plant and | ; Per cent age. Amount eee Amount | apceceee Amount peck cent Weight | based on per L00 | rigi- “| per 100 | in origi- per 100 (5, ence per 100 | weight of Plants. | nal seed. | Plats: | nal seed. | Plants. | nal seed, | Plants. one | Plumule: Grams. | Grams. Grams. Grams. SOR We ee ok 0. 0207 40 0. 0082 25 0.0117 59 0. 466 13 HOW Meee soos as) . 0348 69 | . 0167 50 0190 95 895 27 bi ORLY Seon ee ae - 0365 1é . 0215 65 0194 97 1.141 33 Radicle SAV Sane eee .0118 23 | . 0058 7 0048 24 335 10 5 day Stee se ae! . 0146 29 | . GO70 21 0036 18 481 14 MACY Sere eee | . 0163 32 . 0090 27 0047 24 629 18 Axis (plumule+rad- icle) | Did AY Ss ees 0325 65 0140 43 0165 83 801 23 Oi BV See esas ee 0494 98 0237 72 0226 113 1.376 40 MEAS Sse eee 0528 104 0305 93 0241 121 1.742 50 NUTRIENT SOLUTION. Plumule SEN GEE SA IE oes e 0.0106 20 0. 0042 13 0. 0056 30 0.190 5 HOEWE Coyeaeaee 0208 40 0109 33 0180 94 459 13 WEB Sheen ee 0387 76 0215 65 0345 180 969 28 Ord aysesaes ssoe- 0471 92 0367 110 0569 300 1.333 40 IGEN RE Soeooenae 0657 128 0515 155 0775 405 1.561 44 5d aySeeeeceene. 0668 130 0626 190 0987 520 1. 626 46 Radicle GEES beoace 0146 28 0065 20 0100 50 325 9 Hida y Sse ae eee 0163 32 0097 30 0084 44 452 13 ULCER Sake oes 0191 37 0142 43 0072 38 732 21 Ordayse ase see ee 0208 40 0136 41 0070 37 683 19 Zid aySes eee 0253 50 0163 DOP Steet) Rae eA Spee 767 22 WOXGaV Sosa one 0247 50 0166 50 0058 30 673 19 Axis (plumule+rad- icle): OIGAYS ase eee 0252 50 0107 32 0156 78 515 14 OaySense ste 0371 74 0206 62 0264 136 O1l 26 UGE Nees aase 0578 114 0357 108 0417 218 1.701 49 Od aySooo se oe - 0678 134 . 0503 153 0639 335 2.016 57 Oday Stee ee . 0910 180 - 0678 Q0DS ek cee | Meeee ee 2. 328 66 VOIGAYSreseeee ee .0915 182 . 0792 240 1.045 550 2.299 66 In the water culture (Table 3) the weight of the plumule and the radicle together increased daily at a much slower rate than did the absorption of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash; that is, while the weight increased from 23 to 50 per cent the nitrogen increased from 65 to 104 per cent, the phosphoric acid from 43 to 93 percent, and the potash from 83 to 121 per cent. In the nutrient solution the behavior was similar, only somewhat more pronounced. Considering the relative amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the plumule and radicle, respectively, the table shows that in distilled water the weight of the plumule increased at a slower rate than did the translocation and accumulation of nitrogen, phos- phoric acid, and potash. | In the case of the radicle the increase in weight is only a little less than the increase in the retention of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 17 potash which have been absorbed; that is, while the weight of the radicle increases from 10 to 18 per cent the increase of phosphoric acid ranges from 17 to 27 per cent, the increase in nitrogen varies between 23 and 32 per cent, and the amount of potash remains prac- tically constant at about 24 per cent. The amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the radicle indicate that almost as soon as absorbed these elements are translocated to the plumule, where they can be utilized during the subsequent processes of assimi- lation and plant growth. At the age of three days in the water anhitee the weights of the plumule and radicle are about equal; the plumule has, however, about twice as much nitrogen and potash and a half ane as much phosphoric acid as is present in, the radicle. At the end of seven days the plumule weighs almost twice as much as the radicle, contains over twice as much nitrogen and phosphoric acid, and about four times as much potash, showing that potash is the element especially accumulated in the plumule. The latter part of Table 3 shows to what extent these conditions are accentuated when seedlings are grown in a nutrient solution. On the fifth day of the experiment the weights of the plumule and of the radicle were almost identical and the amounts of nitrogen and phos- phorie acid in each were approximately the same, and the potash in the plumule was about twice that in the radicle. At the end of 15 days the plumule weighed more than twice as much as the radicle and contained over 24 times as much nitrogen, nearly 4 times as much phosphoric acid, and about 17 times as much potash. This is a most striking illustration of how the absorbed salts are moved from the radicle to the plumule and there accumulated; especially is this true of the potash, and when taken in connection with the rapid breaking down of the starch and sugars (see p. 28) would seem to indicate that potash plays the chief physiological réle in these changes. There was a steady increase in the weights of the plumule and in the amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash therein, the weight increasing 9 times, the nitrogen almost 7 times, the phosphoric acid about 15 times, and the potash about 17 times. The weight of the radicle increased twice, the nitrogen was almost double, and the phosphoric acid increased 24 times, while the potash actually showed a decrease, thus indicating that as far as this constituent is concerned, the plumule is really the seat of physiological action. A further comparison of these data shows that at the beginning of the experiment the weights of the radicles and the amounts of nitro- gen and phosphoric acid therein in the case of the seedlings grown in distilled water are about the sanie respectively as the figures found for the radicles of the seedlings grown in the nutrient solution. The 18 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. radicles grown in water culture, however, contain only half as much potash as those grown in the complete medium. At the end of the experiment, while the weights of the radicles grown in water and the amounts of potash are about the same as for the radicles of the nutrient solution, the amounts of nitrogen and phosphoric acid are less for the former than for the latter. The differences are not, however, very great in any case, thus indicating that the rootlets up to this age do not retain the plant food absorbed. Comparing the plumules, those grown in distilled water contain about one-half asmuch nitrogen, one-third as much phosphoric acid, and not quite one-fifth as much potash as do those grown in the nutrient solution. Of the inorganic constituents found in the axes of the seedlings grown in a nutritive solution, the following proportions occur in the plumule: TaBLE 4.—Percentage of inorganic constituents of the axis that occur in the plumule. (Seedlings grown in complete nutritive solution.) Phos- Age. | Nitrogen. phorle Potash. | Weight. acid. Days. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Grams. 3 42 5 37 42 36 5 56 53 68 50 7 67 60 80 56 9 70 72 89 66 12 72 HC ei 67 15 72 79 94 71 The complementary percentages are, of course, the amounts found in the radicle. Here again it is seen that potash is rapidly stored up in the plumule, at a much faster rate than the weight increases or than the nitrogen and phosphoric acid accumulate. Just why the seedling absorbs potash with such avidity and accu- mulates it so rapidly in the plumule is at present a matter of mere conjecture. At this early stage of development starch destruction in the seed is marked, and there is equally great activity in starch, sugar, and fiber formation and elaboration in the plumule. It is not at all improbable that through centuries of successful combat the plant has acquired this fixed characteristic which has proved its salvation, namely, the accumulation of plant food, especially of potash at an early stage, thus placing itself in a position later to elaborate its own food material with the aid of the sun’s rays and the carbon dioxid in the air. | Before concluding the consideration of the inorganic constituents, some mention of similar work done with ordinary beans (Phaseolus vulg.), and lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) may be of interest. The results obtained with these seeds show less regularity, however, because it is more difficult to obtain samples of such uniformity as ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 19 in the case of wheat seedlings. The results show, nevertheless, that in 15 days, in the case of ordinary beans, 80 per cent of the nitrogen, 84 to 90 per cent of the potash, and 70 to 75 per cent of the phosphoric acid are removed from the endosperm, again indicating the greater mobility of the potash. ; ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. Comparatively little work has been done on the changes in the organic constituents during the first two weeks of the seedling’s life, except that of André, Deléano, De Chalmot, and others, of which mention has already been made. The same solutions were used in growing these seedlings as in the case of the preceding study on the inorganic constituents (see p. 9), and in addition the following were also employed: Complete solution less nitrate; complete solution less phosphoric acid; complete solution less potash. The resultant crops were separated at regular intervals of a few days into axes and residual seeds, each portion being analyzed for ether extract, fiber, pentosans, and sugars before and after inversion. The 100 original seeds weighed 3.5 grams and contained 0.069 gram of ether extract, 0.079 gram of fiber, 0.256 gram of pentosans, and 0.095 gram of sugar after hydrolysis. CRUDE FAT. Referring to the weights given in Table 6, the residual seeds of the seedlings grown in the control solution are seen to contain on the average from 60 to 67 per cent of the original crude fat of the seed, thus indicating that this amount of nonembryonic crude fat is not absorbable by the plant. Comparing these amounts with those found in the residual seeds of plantlets grown in the complete nutritive solution and in the solutions containing but one plant food constituent, very small differences are noted, as follows: The average amounts of nonembryonic crude fat remaining after 15 days’ growth in the seedlings started March 29 were as follows: Grown in the control solution 60 per cent, in potash solution 62, and in phosphate 65 per cent. Those started on April 11, in control solution 68, in nitrate 60, and in complete solution 60 per cent. The difference in the season of growth accounts for the differ- ences in the figures given, as it is impossible to have all the conditions affecting growth the same at different times. However, inasmuch as the control seedlings in Table 6 give about the same data for ether extract as the potash and phosphate seedlings or those grown in the nitrate and complete solutions, it is plainly indicated that the presence of plant food exerts but little influence on the decomposition and translocation of the fat material from the seed to the axes. The average amount of nonembryonic fat in the seed is thus seen to be 90 ‘TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. about 60 per cent. ‘The per cent of fat in the axes, based on the amount present in the original seed, is shown in the following table: TaBLE 5.—Relative amounts of fat in the axes when grown in varying nutrient solutions (based on original amount in seed). | Ageof | Control | Potash EE osnter Control. | Nitrate |Complete plant. | solution. | solution. | Sain * | solution. | solution. Days. | Per cent.| Per cent.| Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. 5 4 31 34 34 52 5 3 30 7 51 52 66 48 64 ol 9 12 73 73 SO) NEE es Panne rere 98 15 70 79 91 66 94 103 | 7 70 60 | 87 65 89 86 At five days practically the same amount of ether-extract substance is found in the axes of the seedlings grown in the nitrate, potash, and phosphoric acid solutions as in the control. Those grown in the complete solution, however, contain considerably more fat than the others, the reason for which is that plants ‘grown in the complete medium are about as large at 5 days as those grown in the other solutions are in 7 days. At the end of 15 days it is seen that the axes of seedlings grown in the control solution contain about 70 per cent of the amount of fat present in the original seed, while those of the potash solution contain 79 per cent, those of the phosphate solu- tion 91 per cent, of the nitrate solution 94 per cent, and of the com- plete solution 103 per cent. It is thus seen that more substances soluble in ether are formed in the same length of time under the influ- ence of nitrates and phosphates than under that of potash. This is to some extent due to the greater amount of chlorophyll bodies found in the first two instances; the plants grown in the potash solution were never so green nor so luxuriant as those in the nitrate, the phosphate, or complete solution. From Table 6 it is seen that, based on the dry weight of the seed- lings, the per cent of fat found in the axes of the plants grown in the various solutions at the end of 15 days 1s as follows: In the controls, 3 and 3.2; in the potash solution, 3.1; in phosphate, 3.6; in nitrate, 3.7; and in complete solution, 3.7. Thus, while the nonembryonic fat to the extent of 60 to 67 per cent of the original amount remains con- stant and unabsorbed in the seed, the axes, beginning with from 30 to 35 per cent of embryonic fat (based on the amount in the original seed), have, at the end of 15 days, increased this amount to from 70 to 103 per cent, this extra amount being formed by the process of assimilation. The largest amount was elaborated by the seedling erown in nitrate and in phosphate solutions, which salts seem to stimulate the production of ether-soluble substances to some extent. Mention has already been made of the fact that the plants grown in ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. Dt the nitrate and phosphate solutions were much hardier and had a healthier appearance than those grown in the potash solution. TABLE 6.—Dry weight and ether extract of seeds, axes, and total plants when grown for 15 days in different nutrient solutions. — STARTED MARCH 29. Control solution. Potash solution. Phosphate solution. Parts of plant and age. Ether extract. Ether extract. Ether extract. Weng ————S{— Wah ee wele ny of 100. of 100. of 100. Per , Per Per Grams. Conte Grams. aie. Grams. Coats Grams. Grams Grams Original seed.........- 3. 50 | 0.0686 2.0 3. 50 | 0.0686 2.0 3.50 | 0.0686 2.0 Seeds: GAY Se eee ae 1.89 | .0470 2.5 2.00 | .0483 2.5 1.741 .0435 2.5 (GAN SS) 2 sis Selene 1. 38 . 0450 3.3 1. 48 . 0461 x I 1.29 . 0458 3.6 NaS See arse . 698} . 0450 4.8 1.04 . 0456 4.4 - 80 . 0450 5.6 iW Ey eae eeemeere . 62 . 0445 Wo 70 . 0466 6. 7 49 . 0510 10.5 MG AVISECn sate sce .36 | .0412 11.4 .38 | .0425 ills a .36 | .0447 12. 4 Axes: DIGAY Shecseasccce oe 1.13 . 0235 2.1 1.10 . 0210 1.9 1. 20 . 0237 2.0 U-GEN Gupte eens eeeee 1.34 . 0353 2.6 1. 42 . 0360 2.5 1.55 . 0453 2.9 Gidayisee se esc 1.54} .0480 oul 1.51 | .0410 D0 1.95 | .0600 3.1 IDCGRWesoseccesoos 1. 56 . 0500 Bh 1.73 - 0500 2.9 1.76 . 0581 BHC) BCE Sacsnsessasee 1.48 | .0478 3.2 1.77 | .0542 3.1 1.87 | .0625 3.6 Total plants: INGA Seea oe cewios 3. 02 . 0705 2.3 3.10 . 0693 PsP 2.94 . 0672 yes) 0 CeiGieaaceseaecee PRP - 0803 3.0 2.90 . 0821 2.8 2. 84 . 0911 3.2 QNIAVSE ase esos ee 2.47 | .0930 3.8 2.55 | .0866 3.4 2.75 | .1050 3.8 WAGE sekosnsoose 2.18 . 0945 4.3 2. 43 . 0966 4.0 2.25 . 1091 4.8 15) CRW iaee see nee 1. 84 . 0890 4.8 2.15 . 0967 4.5 2. 23 . 1072 4.8 STARTED APRIL il. Control solution. Nitrate solution. Complete solution. Parts of plant and age. Ether extract. Ether extract. | Ether extract. Weight of —._,_______ | Weight of ———_——_|Weight of 100. 100. 100. “ Per Per Per Grams Cont Grams. cent Grams Git. we Grams. Grams. Grams. Original seed........-. 3.50 | 0.0686 2.0 3.50 | 0.0686 2.0 3.50 | 0.0686 2.0 Seeds OGAVSeee es cs es 2.12 0380 1.8 2.07 | .0313 5 2.07 | .0320 1.5 CEN RSS Ee nee or 0405 2.6 1.41 - 0316 22, 1. 42 . 0418 2.9 ©) GT eae ale 1. 21 0451 Bio tf . 93 - 0450 4.8 1.01 . 0450 4.5 DCE SSR eae 3 7l 0420 5.9 . 56 - 0447 7.9 49 . 0423 8.6 HOGS See eins 2c 60 0470 7.9 -46 | .0413 6.9 50 | .0408 8.2 xes: ING aySese. Cal es 1.01 .0233 2S . 96 . 0205 2.1 1.14 . 0355 3.1 GAY SENOS oe 1. 23 - 0330 Deli 1. 23 . 0440 3.6 1. 41 . 0422 3.0 GIG ayS 5. Phe 1. 48 . 0443 3.0 1.55 0615 3.9 1.64 . 0593 3.6 11D) Cle nS eerste 1.33 . 0397 3.0 HP OMA ee acces | eee 1.90 . 0670 3.5 HO AVS: 52s oe oe 1. 48 - 0450 3.0 1.71 . 0643 ah 7 1.91 . 0709 ae if Total plants: PRCA Gs 2 ane eae 3.13 | .0613 2.0 3.03 0518 ilo 7 3.21 | .0675 2.1 CEN eS ae 2. 80 . 0735 2.6 2. 64 . 0756 2.9 2. 83 . 0840 3.0 Did aiySeane sence! s 2.69 0894 348) 2. 48 . 1065 4.3 2.65 . 1043 3.9 WD Gay See 2 2 oe 2. 04 0817 4.0 HEU aye [ears Races o ireteatn a 2.39 . 1093 4.6 UETGEN GIES Sei aeerdieas 2. 08 0920 4.4 PD MF 1056 4.9 2.41 5 LEIA 4.6 29, TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. FIBER. he fiber in 100 seeds amounts to 0.0785 gram. At the end of 15 days there is a decrease of fiber in the residual seed of about 6 per cent, practically the same conditions obtaining in the control as in culture media, as is shown in Tables 7 and 8. There is, therefore, no apparent absorption of the nonembryo fiber from the seed by the plant in 15 days. On the other hand, the axes in 5 days formed twice as much fiber as was in the seed, and in 15 days the amount was from 5 to 7 times that in the seed, the fiber formation increasing steadily, as may be seen from the tables. There is a slightly greater amount of fiber found in the axes of plants grown in the nutrient solutions than in those in the water culture, owing to the greater growth which the seedlings made under the stimulus of the plant food. However, the per cent of fiber in the axes is approximately the same irrespective of the kind of solution in which the plants were grown, as shown in the tables. The fact that the sugars increased to such an extent only at last to disappear almost entirely (see p. 28), and that the pentosans also increased and then remained practically stationary (see p.-26), would seem to indicate that a large part of the sugar is finally converted into fibrous material, some of it possibly passing through the pentosan stage. According to Ravenna and Cereser,! the simple sugars exert a great influence on the formation of pentosans, and, according to Calabresi,? there is a very close, though not genetic, relation between the pentosans and cellulose. 1 Atti. R. Accad. Lincei, 1909, 18 [v]: 177. 2Stazioni sperimentali agrarie, italiane, 1906, 39:69. ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 23 Tape 7.—Dry weight and fiber of seeds, axes, and total plants when grown for 15 days in solutions containing a single nutrient. Control solution. Potash solution. Phosphorie acid solution. Parts of plant and age. Fiber. Fiber. Fiber. Weight of Weight of Weight of 100. , i Per Per Grams Conte Grams Grams. one Grams. Grams. Grams. Original seed.....-..... 3.50 | 0.0785 2.2 3.50 | 0.0785 3.50 | 0.0785 2.2 Seeds: : HGENWSoobdsaseesor 1.876 | .0885 4.7 1.966 | .0825 4,2 1.738 | .0764 4.4 TAG OY S's ceassciens 1.380 | .0646 4.7 1. 481 - 0700 4.7 1.291 . 0740 5.7 Old ay Sian ne see .929 | .0745 8.0 1.040 | .0730 7.0 - 796 . 0750 9.4 HIdaySeeeee esse .616 | .0740 12.0 -698 | .0835 12.0 -488 | .0755 15.5 NE CENW ESS soauooe dos .360 | .0732 20.3 .384 | .0755 19.7 -359 | .0740 20.7 Axes: SICA S san ecee sos 1.126 | .1665 14.7 1.100 | .1525 13.8 1.195 | .1776 11.4 MGAV See Asa 1.343 | .2380 17.7 1. 424 . 2622 18.5 1.552 | .2995 19.4 Did AVS Hee es ee 1.540 | .3105 20. 2 1.514 . 2900 19. 2 1. 948 - 4100 21.0 NDGA Sees. eae 1.564 | .3460 222 1.729 | .3856 22.3 1.762 } .4310 24.5 15 COW Sondochdéeoder 1.480 | .4050 27.4 1.773 | .4740 26.8 1.873 | .5072 27.1 Total plants: HOB Eladdodeduecdae 3.002 | .2550 8.5 3.066 | . 2350 7.7 2.933 | . 2540 8.7 MOAVS Woe ieee: 2.723 - 3026 11.1 2. 905 - 3322 11.4 2. 843 . 3735 13.1 Od BySee ee oe: 2.469 } .3850 15.6 2. 554 - 3630 14.2 2.744 . 4850 17.7 UB CNBigcccsccaskoe 2.180 | .4200 19.3 2. 427 . 4691 19.3 2. 250 - 5065 22.5 IBCEWSgocdsoooobes 1.840 | .4782 26.0 2.157 . 5495 25.5 2.232 | .5812 26.0 Control solution. Nitrate solution. Complete solution. 4 Parts of plant and age. Fiber. Fiber. Fiber. Weight of Weight of, Wcient of 100. 100. 00. Per Per Grams apsake, Grams Grams. wee. Grams. Grams. Grams. Originalseed.......... 3.50 | 0.0785 De 2, 3.50 | 0.0785 3.50 | 0.0785 252 Seeds OCA Seo. eats 2.121 | .0895 4.2 2.070 | .0874 4,2 2.074 | .0874 4.2 MEQ BYS Je: nyo e ae a5 1. 568 - 0810 5.5 1.409 | .0880 6. 2 1.422 | .0836 5.9 Wdaysteeeseeo ee 1.210 | .0880 7.3 -934 | .0882 9.4 1.012 | .0760 7.6 IIa Seem eee eeeeee -714 | .0607 8.6 . 561 . 0660 11.8 -490 | .0659 13.4 "4 IS CEN Klggodene scene .596 | .0758 NO .463 | .0678 11.4 -498 | .0686 13.8 xes: DIGAVSE a4. cheeses 1.010 | .1565 15.5 ~957 | 1395 14.6 1.139 | .1830 16.1 U CEN GB Ganaueende: 1.232} .2303 18.7 1.230} .2072 16.8 1.415 | . 2635 18.6 Day Se epesc et 1. 481 . 3192 21.4 1.552 | .3146 20.3 1.635 |. 3670 22.4 U2daYSiec eee kes 1.330 | .3027 22.8 1.666 | .3819 22.9 1.900 | .4660 24.5 IBGE WER e Rae nae ae 1.481 | .3730 25. 2 1.713 | .5030 29. 4 1.909 | .4110 21.6 Total plants: DIGAYSa os saceos oc 3.131 . 2460 7.9 3.027 | .2269 7.5 3.213 | .2704 8.4 MEGAY Ss jsncmen oe 2.800 | .3113 11.1 2. 639 . 2952 11.2 2. 837 3471 12.2 Did aysiae sis J... 2. 691 - 4072 15.1 2. 486 . 4028 16. 2 2. 647 . 4430 16.7 UG AVS ao seetoceee 2.044 . 3634 17.8 2227 . 4479 20.0 2.390 | .5319 22.3 WOIGDYS'. oo Sent 2.077 . 4488 21.6 2.176 | .5708 26. 2 2.407 | .4796 19.9 24 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. TaBLe 8.—Dry weight and fiber of seeds, axes, and total plants when grown for 16 days in different nutrient solutions. Complete less potash. Complete less phosphoric acid. Parts of plants and age. Fiber. Fiber. Weight of Weight of 100. 100. Grams. Per cent. Grams. | Percent. Grams. Grams. Originaliseed-c s.ss25s--- ee ek 3. 50 0.0785 232. 3. 50 0. 0785 22 Seeds: PLO AV Shomer cet Cioe eres 1. 650 . 0870 iy} 1.74 . 0840 4.8 LUG Ee a Ca aS, Se ee . 766 . 0760 9.9 . 675 0790 11.7 Gay Skmecmeseeaas ene ae SBC . 0700 18.6 . 348 0780 22. 4 Axes: DCA Staton ccesacksae eee one. 1. 230 als 17.5 1.177 . 198 16.8 ORC AY See eS ee an coe ae oe. 1.740 - 416 23.9 1. 833 . 433 23.6 TRGB S creterrsre ms See hse onan 1. 921 O22 Ded 2.153 . 648 30.1 Total plants: LGA Sastre Seis hora cnntes Sacre pe 2. 880 . 3020 10.5 2.917 . 2820 O), / Oday Stic a Hee Pee meme oe 2. 506 £4920 19.6 2.508 5120 20. 4 DI GAY Skiccise See nae 2. 298 . 5920 25.8 2. 501 7260 29.0 Complete less nitrate. Complete solution. Parts of plants and age. Fiber. : Fiber. Weight of Weight of 100. 100. Grams. | Percent. Grams. | Percent. — Grams. Grams. Originaliseed esse eae cce oe ccestec ee 3. 50 0. 0785 2.2 3. 50 0. 0785 2.2 Seeds: HC AY Smadeaciseeet cote eee ee 1.710 . 0790 4.6 1. 643 . 0880 5.4 On aViS ase ee ee .790 . 0800 10.1 . 621 . 0830 13.0 SVGA S215 ais eer cpersose er 375 . 0750 20.0 . 291 . 0700 24.0 Axes: CAV SSetorats see coe eee see erie 1. 212 199 16. 4 1. 220 . 2320 19.0 DG AYSH Ae ing hess ns Gee eens 1.977 . 368 18.6 1.945 . 3680 18.9 RCL AY Seerate ie sepa Noe eee noe 2. 066 - 589 28.5 2. 142 . 6070 28.3 Total plants: Oday SBsseeisse oneness 2. 922 . 2780 9.5 2. 863 . 3200 tea? ORD EV Sasi torre Suk See alee 2. 767 . 4480 16.2 2. 566 - 4510 17.5 TIGA Sets oases ae se ae 2. 441 . 6640 27.2 2. 433 . 6770 27.8 TABLE 9.—Per cent of fiber in axes based on amount in original seed. Complete nutrient solution— Phos- ‘ Com- Com- Control | Potash Hone Control} Nitro- | plete Ta; plete Age. solu- solu- P lie. solu- | gen so-| nutri- eae Tess nutri- tion. | tion. ati 5 tion. | lution. | ent so- lt tat eee hos. | less [ent so- eae as lution. : 2 nitro- |lution. potash.| phorie a acid. | & Plants: ; 5 days.. 210 195 225 200 180 230 210 275 255 255 295 7 days.. 300 330 889 295 260 335 SOO ae OE oe Ae La Iisa pik Ur) Eel 9 days.. 395 370 520 400 400 470 400 530 550 470 470 12 days. 440 490 550 385 485 595 BQO |e SS eee I eae ea eal ates a up days. 510 605 645 480 640 1 595 570 665 825 735 710 eeds: : 5 days.. 113 105 97 114 111 111 94 111 107 101 112 7 days.. 82 89 94 103° 112 106 VOD so eres oe eee ee en |e 9 days.. 95 93 96 112 112 97 87 97 101 102. 106 12 days. 94 106 95 77 84 84 COS Na Na ar eR ike 15 days. 93 96 94 -97 86 87 95 89 99 96 89 112 days. ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 25 TasBLE 10.—Dry weight of seeds and axes and the fiber found in same when grown for 14 days vn tap water. Residual seeds. Axes. Total plant. Age. | Fiber. Fiber. Fiber. west. <= | \Wehh || = e)ia oh of 100. of 100. of 100. Per Per Per Grams aoa, Grams cent, Grams Conte Grams. Grams. Grams. Original seeds.....-.-.-- 3.50 | 0.0785 Quah eer a carecll Mevevrisysiatel|m cvetcloraters tetany Novell eyetall er apuraeaveaillo cei atatate Plants: AV TAY Sixteen anes a 2.408 | .0740 3.1 0.574 | 0.0928 16.2 | ° 2.982 | 0.1668 5.6 MO OVSex ou See eese 1.554 | .O801 5.2 1.389 | .2410 17.4 2.943 | .3211 10.9 Oday seeck seer 914 | .0685 7.5 1.566 | .3164 20. 2 2.480 | .3849 15.5 IEC Ee rita ees eye .642 | .0744 11.6 1.816 | . 4100 22.6 2.458 | . 4844 19.7 HANG A Sees ees 519 | .0740 14.3 1.825 | .4460 24. 4 2.344 | .5200 22.2 PENTOSANS. The amount of pentosans in 100 original seeds is 0.2561 gram. - There is a gradual decrease of pentosans in tlte seeds throughout the 15 days, and at the end of that period only from 40 to 50 per cent of the original amount of pentosans is present. This change takes place under all conditions of growth as seen from Tables 11 and 12. In the axes, however, the increase of this substance is quite rapid up to about the ninth day. On the fifth day they contain about one-half as much as did the original seeds, and on the ninth day an amount equal to that of the original seed is present. After that date there is a slight but irregular increase, due possibly to the conversion of the pentosans into fiber. The pentosans are supposed to be produced from sugars and to serve as reserve material. As in the case of the fat, at the end of the fifteenth day there is a somewhat larger amount of pentosans in the axes of plants grown in the nutrient solutions than in the control. According to De Chalmot (Gbid.) nitrogen fertilizers cause an increase in the pentosan content of plants, especially in the stems. The results here obtained do not indicate that nitrates form any larger amount of pentosans in the axes of seedlings than is formed by potash or phosphoric acid, the differences between the amounts found in the axes of plants grown in different mediums being too small to warrant any definite conclusions. In fact, while a somewhat larger amount of pentosans is found in the axes of seedlings grown in the various nutrient solutions than in those of the control (see Table 11) this is probably due to the larger growth made by the plants grown in the presence of plant food. The actual per cent of pentosans based on the dry matter in the axes is approximately the same in each case, i. e., it varies only within the limit of error. From the tables it would seem that from 40 to 50 per cent of the original pentosans of the seed remain therein at the end of 15 days. The other 50 to 60 per cent have been utilized °6 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. for the production of pentosans in the axes. Besides this amount, however, which has been translocated to the plant, there has been produced in the axes, through assimilation, an amount equal to 50 per cent of the original amount in the seed, produced in all probability at the expense of the sugars. aa TaBLE 11.—Pentosans found in residual seeds and axes when grown in solutions contain- ing one nutrient. Control solution. | Potash solution. Phosphoric acid solution. Parts of plant and Pentosans. | | Pentosans. Pentosans. ie Weight Weight Weight of 100. of 100. of 100 Per Per : Per Grams. Pant: Grams. pent Grams. ene Grams Grams. Grams. Original seed ..-..--.-- 3.50 | 0.2561 758! | 3.50 | 0.2561 7.3 | 3.50 | 0.2561 7.3 Seeds | Hay Se asscer ee =o 1.876 | .2054 10.9 | 1.966 | .2176 11.1 1.788 | .2203 12.7 d OAayS!e sees osais- 1.380 | .1853 13. 4 | 1.481 | .2054 13.9 | 1.291 | .1887 14.7 Od aysas sare ea .929 | 4.1782 19.2 1.040 | .1853 17.8 | .796 | .1738 21.9 TOA Gy eee eee 616 1297 21.1 | 698 | .1660 23.8 -488 | .1395 28.7 15rd aS Sasee eee 360 1120 31.1 | 384 | .1280 33. 3 | SOOO a eISS 31.4 Axes: | Oa ySaee ses oes 11261 1377 12.3 1.100 | .1315 11.9 | 1.195 | .1306 11.0 WAGAYS 3 Seer mess | 1.343 | .1729 12.9 1. 424 1896 13. 4 | 1.552 | .2168 14.0 Oidayse. fase == 1.540 | . 2526 16.4 1.514 | .2964 19.6 | 1.948 | 1.4764 24.4 NQIGRY Sees 1.564 | .2755 17.8 1.729 | .2578 14.9 | 1.762 | .2930 16.6 15iGaySer-e ae eee 1.480 | . 2596 17.6 1.773 2789 15.8 | 1.873 | .3021 16.1 Total plants idaysts cose e | 3.002 | .3431 11.4 3.066 | .3491 11.4 2.933 | .3509 12.0 (Gay Sie aoe eee Se 2.723 | .3582 13.2 2.905 | .3950 13.6 2.843 | .4055 14.3 Qidayss.-05. 232 2.469 | .4308 17.4 2.554 | .4817 18.S 2.744 | 1.6502 Pan Ti ADIGRYS= S52 sosns- = 2.180 | .4052 18.6 2.427 | .4238 17.5 2.250 | . 4325 19.2 15 daySs-soesgs205- 1.840 | .3716 20. 2 2.157 4069 18.9 2.132 | .4159 19.5 Nitrate solution. Complete solution. Pentosans. | Pentosans. | Pentosans. Parts of plant and | casict | Weight | Weight |_| Weight | of 100 | of 100. of 100. !- ‘Per || Per Per | Grams. | cent. | Grams. en Grams. cent. Grams. | Grams. | Grams. Original seed........-- | 3.50 | 0.2561 es 3.50 | 0.2561 43 3.50 | 0. 2561 das | Seeds: RObN Eh eaSweseesse PAPAL . 2124 10.0 | 2 OTOMNS 2185 10. 5 | 2.074 | .2256 10.9 CUAY See sone 1.568 | .2124 13.5 | 1.409 | .1983 14.1 1.422 | .2019 14.2 Oday see ae 1.210 | .1922 15.9 | 934 | .1844 19.8 1.012 | .1808 17.9 Pad ay Seas eee .714 | .1738 24.3 561 | .1430 2525 490 | .1598 32.6 Fe Ld ay Seen eae .596 | .1369 23.0 | 463 | .1103 18.5 .498 | .1192 23.9 Axes: : Rid RVS= sce co eee f010)). 22201 11.9 | 957 | .1103 aL B55 | 1.139 | .1395 12.2 TAO RY See ee | le Pavsalhe sae Y/ 14.2 1.230 | .1747 14.2 1.415 | .1957 13.8 OdayS.-- ses ee 1. 481 . 2046 13.8 eae 2435 GET 1.635 | .2429 14.9 12 days..... ona 1.330 | .2473 18.6 | 1.666 | .3090 18.5 1.900 | .2499 13.2 day stes eee 1.481 | .2300 15.5 LS 22631 15.4 1.909 | .2693 14.2 Total plants: Hida y Sassen eee 32131453825 10.6 3.027 | .3288 10.9 3. 213 3651 11.4 UGAY Soe See 2.800 | .3871 13.8 2.639 | _.3730 14.1 2.837 | .3976 14.0 Nd aysse seas 2.691 | .3968 14.7 2.486 | .4279 72 2.647 | .4237 16.0 A IGRY Se eee 2.044} .4211 20.6 2.227} .4520 20.3 2.390 | .4097 A7e Wp daySeesse eect eee 2.077 | .3669 17.7 2.176 | .3734 17.2 2.407 | .3885 16.9 1 Probable error; no sample for check analyses. ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 7a TaBLe 12.—Pentosans found in seeds and axes when grown in solutions lacking one | Complete less nitrate. | Complete less potash. Parts of plant and Original Seu, seed Total plants: 5 days. Qdays. 15 days. 22days. . Pentosans. SS ee OS nutrient. eee ness Complete solution. Pentosans. Pentosans. Pentosans. Weight Weight Weight |— of 100 of 100. of 100. Per Per Per Grams Cont Grams. Conn Grams. Cant Grams Grams. Grams 3. 50 0.256 | 7.3 3.50 | 0.256} 7.3) 3.50 0. 256 7.3 1. 650 .216 | 13.1] 1.740 .203 | 11.7] 1.643 -210} 12.8 766 . 166 | 21.7 . 675 .179 | 26.5 . 621 2158 | 25.0 377 111 | 29.4 . 348 .112 | 32.2 . 291 .095 | 33.0 338 MOSSY B2GS Oy mere see erro eT aL aces - 328 -091 | 30.0 1. 230 .127 | 10.3 | 1.177 .147 | 12.5} 1.220 154} 12.6 1. 740 .270 | 15.5 | 1.833 269 | 14.7 | 1.945 .314 | 16.1 1.921 312 | 16.2] 2.153 -368 | 17.1 | 2.142 330 | 15.4 1.755 Ollie EUSA ig EA er hi nets Bere Oe ce 1.750 323 | 18.5 2. 880 .343.| 11.9 | 2.917 .350 | 12.0] 2.863 364 | 12.7 2. 506 436 | 17.4 | 2.508 .448 | 17.9 | 2.566 -472 | 18.4 2. 298 423 | 18.4] 2.501 -480 | 19.2 | 2: 433 2425 | 17.5 2. 093 PALO ZONO A ieee ee i I ed eek 2.078 -414 |} 19.9 TaBLE 13.—Percentage of pentosans in axes and seeds based on original amount in seed. Parts of plant and age. solu- tion. Phos- Control} Potash | phoric solu- acid tion. solu- tion. 51 51 74 84 1a eee ere 100 114 109 118 85 86 80 74 72 68 65 55 50 45 'Control| Nitro- solu- ben tion solu- . tion. 47 43 68 68 80 95 96 121 90 102 83 85 83 UG 75 72 68 56 53 43 Complete solution less— Potash. |phorus.| gen. 62 50 58 aires sk tos: 59 a Pas! 125 NG eee 84 84 80 oi ae a soles | ee 28 TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. REDUCING SUGAR AND SUCROSE. Tables 14 and 15 show how great have been the changes in both the reducing sugars and the hydrolyzable sugar during the 15 days of the life of the seedling. TABLE 14.—Reducing sugars (as dextrose) in residual seeds and axes when grown for 15 days in solutions containing one nutrient. Phos- a = Control | Nitrate | Potash | phoric Parts of plant and age. solution. solution. | solution. | arid solu- | tion. } Mg Mg Mg. | Mg ORIZINGHSCOD. SPs ns SS PRR eae eee Ee ee, SA OEE Ee 0 0 0 | 0 Seeds BY CORN SOND ioe ete A kins Bish a er es ape ee le OS 98.6 117.0 122.9 IZED LW 0 Fay) COR eae SO Re ee a Mn Nn es ee Ue eee Pe 192. 4 feee: 160.5 157.0 LORY Sess Fe A TR kale Se Sy We Sa ce ee 193.8 115.6 134. 4 104. 4 Ord ay Ses- 2a Bosc OS AN Ee Bee as See rent ee Lost 72.0 91.0 80.5 FLD CED IISS sf eee ray RNS A cre Ra ee ey NN ee 81.0 24.5 46.7 40.3 5 155 C6 Fa as Sa a a ae Ca a yea MOS Stearn Sue el ROS oe 22.6 8.3 21.7 12.8 Axes SIDS Bee ts septs ees ie A ea He Da aye a ce SER 148.0 136.8 124.8 130.3 DIO RUS eee ee Sites ah ink outa oe eis MELE Pee ee ti SR eRe 253.7 267.9 208. 8 | 257.4 TACIYS BEE te re ae aso ene ie es ee ee a eee 267.9 265.7 ! 228. 3 | 246.4 LG HR aac he MaMa VRID Cominler IMG cit Te CaaS ie O oe A ey ae ot 262. 3 324. 8 244.7 | 298. 8 Tax 0 by Sates epee trannies ne Berta cata ay 5 Se ey heey sh ea a i i 180.1 157.0 118. 2 | 167.4 TUG (0 Fey Spa ae pape ne abt RAN Ae tea eee 91.3 105. 0 79. 2 | 121.0 Total plants: SUG AVS cee res ar oer eee eee eo Ree a oR Pee ne ene 246.6 | 253. 8 247.7 } 242.8 Fy CLAY Sere ere NS SAR a Si ie a eee mire Meee Seely Peete or ae Ns Pe 446.1 441.2 | 369. 3 | 414.4 Te LAY She te ate oe Eo etee ee ray We es re aL ed a 461.7 381.3 | 362.7 350.8 UG Fe SS eh a ee ete teat et See, cme oy are ees nee nee eee eine ee 396.8 | SBaE 7s | 379.3 MZ RY Soe ease ere ic aire ee ee Ri 261.1 | 181.5 | 164.9 207.7 TOIGBRY Sor moe aos sc oatoets coe ee ee oe ee eee Ue Seine 113.9 113.3 | 100.9 133.8 In the original seed there was no reducing sugar; 100 seeds con- tained, however, 0.095 gram of hydrolyzable sugar. During the process of growth the formation of reducing sugar in the seed is rap- idly increased up to the fifth and sixth days. (See Table 14.) Thisis not only coincident with the breaking down of the hydrolyzable sugar, but is a result of the hydrolysis of the starch as well, inasmuch as a much larger amount of reducing sugars is found than could be ac- counted for by the original hydrolyzable sugar in the seed. After the fifth and sixth days there was a rapid falling off in the amount of reducing sugars found in the seed until at the end of the 15th day the residual seed contained but a trace of this substance. In the axes, however, the reducing sugars increased up to about the ninth day, when they contained about three times as much of these sugars as the original seed did of hydrolyzable sugar. After this period there is a gradual decrease in reducing sugars, even in the axes, until on the 15th day, the amount present approxi- mated that of the hydrolyzable sugar originally present in the seed, namely, 0.095 gram per 100 plants. The amount of reducing sugar found in the residual seed is some- what higher in the control solution than under the influence of nitro- gen, phosphoric acid, or potash. The greatest amount of reducing sugar was found on the ninth day in the axes of plants grown in the ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 29 nitrate culture and the least in the potash solution. The disappear- ance of the reducing sugars is manifest in the control as well as in the culture medium. As will be noted, the hydrolyzable sugar has also entirely disappeared from the seed. TABLE 15.—Hydrolyzable sugars (as dextrose) in residual seeds and axes when grown for 15 days in solutions containing one nutrient. —--——~~~ — Phos- Control | Nitrate | Potash phoric Parts of plant and age. solution. | solution. | solution. | acid solu- tion. Mg. Mg. Mg. Mg. OTT AIM ASCE ee ae sey aren eye apens ec esa ra lan ed eats coors 95 95 95 95 Seeds BIN ASTI este ee os el pee a es ce ea NE al ese i a 60 55 69 60 EDR EAS eee eae a ec eee eae Utes La ok hoe cae lee can SNH crane 53 54 54 49 CL GENRE eae Pe SRN Sh an VE eee ean Sy hat al gel one Mie ta 60 51 59 39 Qi Lay Se ae ee epee atin earnest Fn VE peace aL eae NA ee Lost. 27 33 25 MU ZNCl einy Sener tees oT at yeaa tenga bys Segies SIE Rye ya ime po ate ata Trace. 1 0 14 SRL EY See ieee re ear ON crave SwRI ca Nn ON OLS DAN 2 0 0 0 Axes SRL Ay Seepage ety rae rey epee aan RL ey EDEL eerie eae) Sra 50 48 48 43 ESO ean ae ee ee BS BA ee ae Dee 42 42 52 46 UL GER Sse Get cic GOCE ete a Oe Pe gency ed mek henna Le GCL 46 46 76 50 DCL SE ay ey i EP ites a eh oa oe Pigalle ah 18 39 49 45 VNC Diy Sater mars aye eae ce Me IE RELL AG Dag aby papabayars, 18 jac 60 22 61 52 ITS NCL chy, Spee peepee oats Mircea fle hn Eee eds Met een elie ME 13 9 24 19 Total plants: 3 CCKEINVASIS es oy See te ae Se en a DENN a ee LPN are 110 103 117 103 SiG IG ASL OS RNIN GE Ys | eat Oo NOR RR A PO 95 96 106 95 FRCL NYS SE ain Sed he AL LH Uo ay pI nl al aah at aie ut RL aa 106 97 135 89 SCOUTS ASA a Re ADA Se RE EI RA oe es a ET te ea Se aeterea ait 66 82 70 UPA GLAS ces Cie eas lee en Rea es ee ey eh ere ne 9. MYR NSA 60 23 61 66 NS daySeeenesecee BR et Haar NCO La ae ayere) 27 oR CT Wr eae a 15 9 24 19 Beginning with 95 milligrams of hydrolyzable sugar in 100 seeds, the decrease was steady and rapid, and on the 15th day no trace of sugar was found. ‘There is no evidence of any new formation of hydrolyzable sugar in the seed, as no increase was observed at any time. The total amount found in the whole plant (seed + axes) never really exceeds that originally found in the seed, indicating either that the hydrolyzable sugar is translocated as such from the seed to the axes, or that it is hydrolyzed before translocation occurs. There is a small amount left in the axes on the fifteenth day. In the axes of three-day-old plants the amount of hydrolyzable sugar is about one- half that in the original seed. This is gradually decreased until on the 15th day there is only a small amount left. These results are the same in the control solution as in the nutrient solutions. There is no increase of hydrolyzable sugar in the seed, and while there is no reducing sugar present in the beginning, on the fifth day the amount of reducing sugar is twice that of the total hydrolyz- able sugar present originally. That this increase in reducing sugar in the residual seed is the result of hydrolysis of the starch contained therein is most probable, but whether the sugars found in the axes are due entirely to the hydrolysis of the starch of the seed and sub- sequent translocation into the axes, or whether a part of these sugars is the result of assimilation, has not been determined, APPENDIX. DETAILED DATA ON WHICH SUMMARY TABLES IN TEXT ARE BASED. I. Plants grown in distilled water. PLANT AXES (PLUMULE+ROOTLET). Grams in 100 plants. Percentage in axes. Age of plant. . Baee Dry Phos- Dry itrogen. plone Potash. weight. Nitrogen. phorie Potash. weight Oniginaliseedssts as ssaees see 0.05108 OBO BPI OY OGLE rebels) Ie ee agaualignoooconodloocasosclidaaqaasc Day Seren Gas se st soccer 01174 .0055 | .0073 . 207 23.0 16.8 37.6 6 SAY Sse sesat rae creme isteee = - 01684 -0088 | .0116 . 360 33.0 26.8 59.8 10 AL GY Si eees ce sieee eines . 02414 .0108 | .0190 . 589 Al Oe so249 98.0 17 DIG ay Siecle me wsineee ais ato . 03312 .0122 | .0209 . 840 64.8 37.2 |} 108.0 24 Gd ay Sea ooh sare eee teens . 03986 .0166 | .0209 | 1.035 78.0 50.6 | 108.0 30 (LOCK Shae Sat eeo rae aooacer . 04492 .0180 | .0217 | 1.140 88. 0 54.9 | 112.0 33 Did aySsseiesk saeco eee - 04996 . 0232 . 0252 554915 |ae 0 Mend: 70.8 | 130.0 44 1 2idaySmeceee ose ee Bae eerie . 04752 .0245 | .0260 | 1.542 93.0 74.7 | 134.0 44 SEEDS. ne Grams in 100 residual seeds. Percentage left in seed. | Age of plant. a Phos- oie Phos- ae N itrogen.| phone Potash. weight. Nitrogen. phate Potash. weight Oricinaliseed 5 tases eee 0. 05108 0.0328 |0. 0194 S849 BS. ee Sas ale aa epee anes | i ate DiGAVS oben cee he daeeioctee: . 04436 . 0268 |} .0113 3. 273 86. 8 81.7 58.3 94 Sidavse tera wo ohetcloneesetien . 03650 . 0240 | .0102 2.910 71.4 (BOY 52.6 83 ANC AVG eee eee Re te ne aes . 02976 .0215 | .0069 2. 689 58. 2 65.5 35. 6 75 Did aySticecsiesinc cece eee ereee LOQZAG Secs een - 0043 2.178 2 PL ere vee 2251 62 Qi aNS seek ses ce tecieionee o . 01964 .0158 | .0043 1. 865 38. 4 48.2 22.1 53 TEGaySitaciccte sec ss eee . 01684 . 0143 } .0023 1. 622 33.0 43.6 11.9 46 Did ayssen soba ncee mc Met aeeiee s . 01236 .0105 | . 0016 1.078 24.2 32.0 8.3 31 TOGA ySiienetass ace smart ins ce . 00898 . 0067 | . 00077 - 090 17.6 20. 4 4.0 A 17 II. Plants grown in 64 parts per million phosphoric acid solution. (Plumule-+rootlet.) Grams in 100 plants. Percentage in axes. | Age of plant. Phos- Dry Phos- ‘ite Nitrogen. eee Potash. weight. Nitrogen. phoric Potash. weight. DidayS ue Nee heclce Bees ee 0. 01066 0.0060 | 0.0062 | 0.189 20.9 18.3 32.0 5 AS AN Sher eietereie ae ce anne wiereie tole tes . 03312 OLS Ola . 803 64.8 47.9 88.1 23 Oidayse sase ee eal eta Ew WELD . 04098 .0235 | .0201 | 1.268 — 80.2 71.7 | 104.0 36 QiGaySee see a he sclera iene . 04771 .0296 | .0217 | 1.536 93. 4 90.2} 112.0 44 IDIOM her a Sea 5A aa Soa ee . 04996 .0350 | .0201 | 1.667 97.8 107.0] 104.0 48 GROWN IN DISTILLED WATER (CONTROL). Original seed........-------- 0. 05108 080328: 1505 019401- 5 3350)" [Sate aes ale See ess | pees see eet DiGaAySeseeecteneaset see eee . 00954 .0055 | . 0058 .179 18.6 16.7 29.9 5 ALMA Y Ses Oe ME Sn Blase seen . 0281 .0107 | .0135 . 689 _ 65.0 32.6 69. 6 20 Gidays se eelh eee eee . 03761 -0176 | .0201 | 43.294 , 13.6 53.7 | 104.0 37 Oidaysae eto eee . 04715 .0210 | .0178 | 1.435 92.2 64.0 91.8 41 TQ a Seige oes secs ee 04771 .0260 | .0207 | 1.498 93. 4 79.3 | 107.0 43 ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. jl III. Plants grown in 50 parts per million potash solution. (Plumule-+-rootlet.) Grams in 100 plants. Percentage in axes. ecel plauke Phos- Dive _ Phos- DEY : : = : : Nitrogen. Deore Potash. weight. Nitrogen. Do Potash. weight DEGAY Siyat sas ceone oa sees 0. 01290 0.0074 | 0.0074 | 0.3087 25. 2 22.6 32.1 9 PANG ANT SH ae pa encase sre cee . 02750 .0131 } .0256} .7470 53.8 39.9 | 132.0 21 GIG ay Shere Mey. Monel ean ho Muay ae . 04828 .0150 | .0356} .8600 94.5 45.7 | 183.0 25 0 CEN ii as qoeesacio se uateneere . 04658 .0244 | .0607 | 1.444 91.2 74.4; 313.0 41 GROWN IN DISTILLED WATER (CONTROL). Original seed........---..... 0. 05108 OLOS28s | OROUGAY | SSO Keres eer lees es ey oa fo cy eet are 2) CEE SA ae Sates auee meee e . 01402 .0080 | .0071 | .3456 27.4 24. 4 36. 6 10 4 CERI AS fetes eee aga ae . 02974 .0131 | .0154| .8454 58.2 39.9 79.4 24 OGEN GS Seige Nene eee ete . 04434 .0142 | .0169} .914 86.8 43.3 87.1 26 (2). CNG egies ee phe aR eee . 04602 .0202 | .0202 | 1.256 90.1 61.6 | 104.0 36 IV. Plants grown in 150 parts per million potash solution. (Plumule-+rootlet.) Grams in 100 plants. Percentage in axes. Age of plant. Phos- Dry Phos- ry Nitrogen. meer Potash. weight. Nitrogen. phonic Potash. weight PRO ON Siotaiava seco cabineec fae css 0. 01347 0.0078 | 0.0078 | 0.287 26.4 23.8 40. 2 8 3 CER RSE ye sea een ae ae . 02189 . 9105 .0178 . 521 42.9 32.0 91.8 15 th CON DS Sh aeeaconcecaacesrsaas - 04266 . 0210 . 0481 1. 234 83.6 64.0} 247.0 35 HBO AV Sia se nteeioe sisi emis cies eve . 04603 .0257 | .0509 | 1.466 90.1 78.3 | 262.0 42 2 CREME Sat oaosermocnecsueees .044385 | . .0278 | .0558 | 1.740 86. 8- 84.8 | 288.0 50 GROWN IN DISTILLED WATER (CONTROL). Original seed... 2... 5. -..-+-: 0. 05108 Os0RHS | COLO Snilloeda jase clleocconesan| soncenas|acosaecs 2 COND See Mesa e nh Seon in ee Ree .01415 .0065 | .0062 . 232 27.7 19.8 31.9 7 5) CLE SAC) oa Pee Se SN ies Panne nee . 02302 . 0100 . 0103 . 470 45.1 30. 5 53.1 13 PGA Siepotes eo ciscciotne sitios es - 04379 . 0210 . 0217 1.185 85.8 64. 0 112.0 34 ROL S are rate tctee cae stay eae es .04884 | .0245 |) .0231 | 1.454 95.6 74.7 | 119.0 41 EGA Sstorctars Soot icine Lost. .0255 | .0231 | 1.526 ].......... 77.7 | 119.0 44 V.—Plants grown in 100 parts per million nitrate solution. (Plumule-+rootlet.) Grams in 100 plants. Percentage in axes. Age of plant. Phos- Day, Phos- Dry Nitrogen. ee Potash. weight. Nitrogen. phone Potash. weight. © LESTE eer Cee ene are 0. 01852 0.0088 | 0.0088 | 0.385 36. 2 26. 8 45. 4 il 2 GENS 5 Seca el eae epee igs - 02806 0110 | .0129 . 629 55. 0 35. 5 66. 5 18 PIRAAY Sartre So a IN a . 04658 .0180 | .0180 | 1.168 91.2 54.9 92.8 33 | 220663 Re eee . 06904 O226 Peer mee 1. 622 135.0 eee eaoeasae 46 - (SO 2 ec eae . 06680 .0270 | .0192; 1.706 131.0 82.3 99.0 49 GROWN IN DISTILLED WATER (CONTROL). Barivinal seed.:......--.--.+2. 0. 05108 QROS2SuIRONOTO4 ase FOC eerie al lemme mae e ce lig a ee * (EVE SS 5 eB a aE eee . 01740 .0110 | .0091 . 440 34.1 35. 5 46.9 13 LESS Saga ne I .0125 | .0130 SOME saa deeese 38.1 67.0 19 BRGY Stes eet. a) . 04154 .0175 | .0161 | 1.101 81.4 53.3 83.0 31 | EG os ee . 05108 0230 Vices eee 1. 548 100.0 (Oye lie Seu 44 | OS SC eee . 04659 .0236 | .0173 | 1.490 91.2 71.9 89.2 43 o2 VI.—Plants grown in 150 parts per million phosphoric acid solution. rootlet.) TRANSLOCATION OF PLANT FOOD IN WHEAT SEEDLINGS. (Plumule-+ — Grams in 100 plants. Percentage in axes. Age of pleet. - Phos- Rivne Wot des Phos- Dry Nitrogen. phone : otash. weight. Nitrogen. phone Potash. weight DAYS aos wee aes esc es 0. 01572 0.0080 | 0.0080 | 0.322 30.7 24. 4 41.2 9 AT AY S Sos aaek Sue Noe e eee . 03368 .0207 | .0178 | ~-.926 66. 0 63.1 91.8 26 Gidays as eee eee 04266 -0280 | .0178} 1.361 83.5 85. 4 91.8 39 Oi daySiiiesse aa feet eae eres 04603 -0355 | .0217 | 1.654 90. 1 108.0 | 112.0 47 GROWN IN DISTILLED WATER (CONTROL). Originaliseedes ess sse= eee ee 0. 05108 0:.03828:|° 010194; 3550S 2255-45 5-o5os sh eee 2 GAYS 28 hese za as Ae . 01684 .0090 | .0083 305 33.0 27.4 42.8 9 BAY Sieh ot eee ae es . 03424 .0154 | .0174 . 896 67.0 46.9 89.7 25 Ofdavse ees esses - 04366 .0210 | .0174) 1.383 85. 5 64. 0 89.7 39 Nd aysee ees esas ee ee . 04772 .0282 | .0216 | 1.594 93. 4 86.0 | 111.0 46 VII.—Plants grown in 150 parts per million mitraté solution. (Plumule-+rootlet.) Grams per 100 plants. Percentage in axes. Age of plant. Phos- | Dist lee Phos- Dice Nitrogen. phone Potash.) weight. Nitrogen. pice Potash. weight. 2 OAV Sh: Sasen eee eee 0. 0148 0.0071 | 0.0070 | 0.259 29.0 21.6 36.1 7 ASOAYS Hoe ese Baga ess Rene . 0284 | .0125 | .0128 . 654 55. 6 38. 1 66. 0 19 GidaySee ree ae ee . 0474 .0195 | .0178 | 1.270 92.8 59. 4 91.8 36 OidaySisiacn sce see oe ase ee . 0600 .0277 | .0202 | 1.456 Hale) 84.4 | 104.0 41 GROWN IN DISTILLED WATER (CONTROL). Originaliseede. so. o4-- shee 0. 05108 030328) OS 0186.| 9 (82 50bulesc sec 232 see oe [Denes |S DIGRY Sepa co seyemone ee aaa . 0132 .0070 | .0068 . 236 25.8 2153 35.1 7 A deiy sR et IR ct 0260 10120 | .0116| .556 50.9| 36.6] 59.8 16 Gidaiy Sie es ath apne . 0408 -0195} .0180 | 1.273 79.9 | 59. 4 92.8 36 Didayaue peace ce eee 0446 10240} [0186 | 1.294 87.3 | 73.2| 95.8 37