The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-21
Interesting Experiments with Cereals Com
monty Used as Food
THE POTATO BEETLE.
How Much Paris Green May be Used
Without Injury.
Timely Warnings and Sug-
geStiOnS.

Tue constant lncre Use OF insects n0Nlous oF IN
jurious to vegetation and the methods employed
in practical agricu ure and horticulture for TIER
destruction nave enclted considerable discussion
throughout the cou Try, ana though it Will not be
possible within the present limit 10 discuss al me
methods employed vet II Is possible that few
points concerning the use OF arsenieal compounds
for this purpose may not be devoid Of interest 10
those concerned IN the removal Of these pests,
when have bsen so troublesome "a some sections
during tn past years. In the Of Paris green
"a mixture OF arsenlte ana acetate Or ccpperl, one
or tho compounds most extensively employed,
many sad accidents nave occurred whicn have
proved fatal to human and animal life, and from
these facts arose the question or the possibility
or the absorption and assimilation o.
arsenic by plants and through sucn q medium its
communication TO the animal system. From the
fact OF the very extensive use Of tie arsenical
compounds arose the question Or the possibility
OF the accumuS alton VI sufficient arsenic IN the
soil 10 become, after a series or applications ex-
tending through a number OF years, ceeterious
or injurious to subsequent crops. During the past
year l. therefore. Instituted an Investigation with
view to the
SOLUTION or tbs FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
First-Can arsenic, waen applied 70 the soil 10
combination with the metallic oxides or the
alkalies, be absorbed aud ssslmnated IA the
economy or plant growtn2
Sufficient quantity lie taken up to become IN
furious 10 the hea OF conslmers2
T2sird-lf not ABSORBED by the plant, can ts
presence in the sou exert an injurious influence
upon the plant itsele
FourlA-If sucn an influence be excr,ei, what
quantity mar exist In tue soil before aay ln.ury
taxes placer
In the study Of these questions ve md the evil
dence bearing upon II and depending upon the
gators decidedly conflicting. Muder states
t'CnemistrY OF Animal and Vegetable Physiol-
ogy,n English translation. lS49. p, GzG) that
plants may be poisoned BY many principles which
are poisonous 70 the animal organism, but n lbs
that they 10 not attack what Is called the vital
principle but affect only uhs organic principles.
changing the conditions under vnlcn they exist.
thus preventing tree transmission Of liquids from
the roots, ana IN support or this idea cites the
claguiation or tns albumen o. the pant ~ me-
tahc oxides such as those Of lead, copper, e..
lie does not. however, STATE what may 30 the H.
nuence Of inc oxides Of arsenic, whose action upon
a.bumen Is neutral
ACCORDING TO MARCEr
f"IindlcYfs Theory and Practice Of Horticulture.
London: 1855, p. s., " Whea plants are exposed t.
the action Of SUCH poisOns as destroy animal lie
they Will not Only perish under the influence, but
ID a manner analogous 70 what occurs among
arsenic Or corrosive suollmate they persia b. IL
Illumination or coirosion;. plants dc tn a similar
way. no art suflclng ior their recovery The re-
sulfs Or the Investigations or Professor L. ". Davy
tsaiL Mag, vol. xviii, p. los lead 10 dlnerent
conclusion. Benz aware 81 tie Tax that nearly
aI0f the suiphuric acid employed IN Dublin n tHe
manufacture o. suDerplosphatcs was made rom
Tyrires, wnica almost Invariably contained ar
seulc, ne considered Il Or some importance 70
- ef~w
into the superphospnafes anc must. therefore,
BE- communicated 10 the soil II the most favorable
condition fgr assimilation By plants could enter
into tie vegetable organism. "a a preliminary
experiment he tells o. ne watered peas winch had
been trausp.auted INTO Dot containing rich gar
de1 SOIL with concentrated aqueous solution 81
arsenl0gs acid. luis treatment was repeated
eFeri second or third day III more than wees
ana tBen discontinued Ar tie end u some
months the pants having Grown 10 fall slze,
Powered and iralLed, i vas und, 5y application
81 both Nareh.s aad EeinsclV tesla. that TIE
arsenic haa permeateu every part .. toe plants.
Being thus sat sael that plauts we're capable Or
taxing up arsenic during tnalr Development &c
made some experiments Win the use 81 phgs-
Iaates containing arsenic. The su.phgrie ac1
employed 10 iheir manufacture con talIe1 ABOUT
IS pounds a-seulc pr soa, and ths proportions
emploTed we're one TN 81 actf pit tw0 tons 81
bone The amount OF arsenic n tac superpAOs-
phate was therefore, relatively ysfy small
10 bis next experifnsa t he grew small cabbage
plant IN . soil containing the superphnsDhafe n
question. aud N three weeks he examined
sman a quantity o. the Plant as lIs grains Tor
arsenic, and obtained the "most distinct iudcI-
uOns Or that substance" He further examined
swedish turnlps winch had arown upon son Is
which superpuOsphass ha1 becE applied, 4nd o.
tanned similar results.
A. 80
ron 81 srsenious acid could be applied 70 plants
without injury 70 tnem, and repeated the expert.
ments Of Davy, obtaining results or = totally
different character from those o. hIs predecessor.
IN the description or hls experiments (garaene'g
chronicle, $50, 2l9 be states that when the