A short immersion in water for 20 m. did not retard the subsequent
action of the phosphate, or of splinters of glass placed on the glands;
but in two instances an immersion for 50 m. prevented any effect from a
solution of camphor. Several leaves which had been left for 20 m. in a
solution of one part of white sugar to 218 of water were placed in the
phosphate solution, the action of which was delayed; whereas a mixed
solution of sugar and the phosphate did not in the least interfere with
the effects of the latter. Three leaves, after being immersed for 20 m.
in the sugar solution, were placed in a solution of carbonate of
ammonia (one part to 218 of water); in 2 m. or 3 m. the glands were
blackened, and after 7 m. the tentacles were considerably inflected, so
that the solution of sugar, though it delayed the action of the
phosphate, did not delay that of the carbonate. Immersion in a similar
solution of gum arabic for 20 m. had no retarding action on the
phosphate. Three leaves were left for 20 m. in a mixture of one part of
alcohol to seven parts of water, [page 214] and then placed in the
phosphate solution: in 2 hrs. 15 m. there was a trace of inflection in
one leaf, and in 5 hrs. 30 m. a second was slightly affected; the
inflection subsequently increased, though slowly. Hence diluted
alcohol, which, as we shall see, is hardly at all poisonous, plainly
retards the subsequent action of the phosphate.
It was shown in the last chapter that leaves which did not become
inflected by nearly a day’s immersion in solutions of various salts and
acids behaved very differently from one another when subsequently
placed in the phosphate solution. I here give a table summing up the
results.
Column 1 : Name of the Salts and Acids in Solution. Column 2 : Period
of Immersion of the Leaves in Solutions of one part to 437 of water.
Column 3 : Effects produced on the Leaves by their subsequent Immersion
for stated periods in a Solution of one part of phosphate of ammonia to
8750 of water, or 1 gr. to 20 oz.
Rubidium chloride. : 22 hrs. : After 30 m. strong inflection of the
tentacles.
Potassium carbonate : 20 m. : Scarcely any inflection until 5 hrs. had
elapsed.
Calcium acetate. : 24 hrs. : After 24 hrs. very slight inflection.
Calcium nitrate. : 24 hrs. : Do. do.
Magnesium acetate. : 22 hrs. : Some slight inflection, which became
well pronounced in 24 hrs.
Magnesium nitrate. : 22 hrs. : After 4 hrs. 30 m. a fair amount of
inflection, which never increased.
Magnesium chloride : 22 hrs. : After a few minutes great inflection;
after 4 hrs. all four leaves with almost every tentacle closely
inflected.
Barium acetate. : 22 hrs. : After 24 hrs. two leaves out of four
slightly inflected.
Barium nitrate. : 22 hrs. : After 30 m. one leaf greatly, and two
others moderately, inflected; they remained thus for 24 hrs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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