The glands on a young flower-stem, after having been left for 2 hrs. 45
m. in a strong solution of one part of the carbonate to 109 of water,
contained an abundance of aggregated masses, but whether generated by
the action of the salt, I do not know. This piece was again placed in
the solution, so that it was immersed altogether for 6 hrs. 15 m., and
now there was a great change; for almost all the spherical masses
within the gland-cells had disappeared, being replaced by granular
matter of a darker brown. The experiment was thrice repeated with
nearly the same result. On one occasion the piece was left immersed for
8 hrs. 30 m., and though almost all the spherical masses were changed
into the brown granular matter, a few still remained. If the spherical
masses of aggregated matter had been originally produced merely by some
chemical or physical action, it seems strange that a somewhat longer
immersion in the same solution should so completely alter their
character. But as the masses which slowly and spontaneously changed
their forms must have consisted of living protoplasm, there is nothing
surprising in its being injured or killed, and its appearance wholly
changed by long immersion in so strong a solution of the carbonate as
that [page 350] employed. A solution of this strength paralyses all
movement in Drosera, but does not kill the protoplasm; a still stronger
solution prevents the protoplasm from aggregating into the ordinary
full-sized globular masses, and these, though they do not disintegrate,
become granular and opaque. In nearly the same manner, too hot water
and certain solutions (for instance, of the salts of soda and potash)
cause at first an imperfect kind of aggregation in the cells of
Drosera; the little masses afterwards breaking up into granular or
pulpy brown matter. All the foregoing experiments were made on
flower-stems, but a piece of a leaf was immersed for 30 m. in a strong
solution of the carbonate (one part to 109 of water), and little
globular masses of matter appeared in all the glands, which before
contained only limpid fluid.