The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-10-31
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.
ON THR ACTION OF BROMIDE OF cAMPHoR AND
BoRATE, suICATE, AND ARSENIATE OF
s-DIUM UPON THE GERMINA-
TIoN OF SEEDS.

NJ E. Heckel says: IN. Vogel recently
called the attention of Psychologists to the
curious results of the experiments undertab en-
in 1853 by Benjamin Smith and Barton, con-
corning the singular and unexplaine led property
which camphor exercises upon vegetables, and
he confirmed these results IN their entirety.
This observer, in treating of the seeds of lepi-
dunn sativum, of raphanus asdtiUus mayor, OF
pisuna Sdtivurn, and of some other plants,
placed between sheets of blotting paper
seeds terminated long before those which had
been maintained in ordinary conditions.
Filled with these new ideas, and resting
upon the fact, we'll known since the labors OF
Goppert, of the action of bromine. as an
agent capable of fastening the termination
of seeds, I asked myself, in the course OF
some researches touching the action of GER
tain chemical compounds upon the germl-
native faculty. if the bromide of camphor,
which is sometimes considered as definite
combination of bromine and camphor (the
bromine replacing one equivalent of hydrogen
in the camphor) and sometimes as simple
association of the same components, would
present, from the biological point of view
which occupied me, the sum of the proper
ties with which the bodies composing it were
manifest proper attitude, decided enough to
permit of differentiation, either by the inten-
sity or by the modality of the action, between
the body and its components simply associated.
With that end in view, instituted the follow
ing experiments at the beginning of April,
which have been carried on until now, with
the seeds of rdphanus satiUus alone, but which
I propose to extend to other seeds. Between
several layers of double wadding wetted with
water. inclosed for each experiment twenty
reddish seeds, and had care to have all the
substances act upon the seeds under like con-
ditions Of heat and humidity.
In the FIRST double of wadding placed II
grains of finely pulverized ordinary camphor;
in the second III grains of bromide of cam
phor equally reduced to powder; in the
third one, sprinkled with bromine water, IT
grains Of camphor; in the fourth one, the
seeds were sprinkled with bromine water only;
in the fifth one the seeds were surrounded
with ~ grains of crushed bromide of potas-
SUM; in the sixth and in the seventh ones
the seeds were sprinkled with chlorine water
and iodine water. Incidentally, 1 should
here say that l confirmed, by repeating
the experiments, the experience of Cop
pert in regard to the activating action OF
chlorine, of bromine, and OF iodine. These
three bodies incontestably hasten germina-
ton, and with an intensity decreasing from
chlorine to iodine. Thus, iodine water pro-
duced termination in five days on an average.
bromine water in three days. and chlorine
water in two days, and under normal condi-
tons it required at least seven or eight days
to obtain The same results. The action OF
bromide of camphor was still more rapid; in
thirty.six hours the rootlets were tr;king.
In the double of wadding containing cam
phor alone, the phenomenon required be-
tween four and five days. In the third
package containing camphor and bromlne
water( the seeds terminated the first time
thirty hours later than in the case OF bromide
of camphor, the second time twenty-slx
hours later, the third time thirty-six hours
later. AS for the bromide of potassium, it
remained without effect, though dissolved in
water; the germination was produced in the
same length of time as with ordinary water.
These experiments, several times repeated,
having always yielded Identical results, con-
cluded that the bromide of camphor enjoyed
a more considerable action than the sum OF
the two bodies of which it Was composed.
taken separately or acting in consort.
should add that the bromide of camphor acts
without being dissolved. M. Vogel en-
ployed camphor in solution; the same SOL
vent might have been employed to
dissolve III bromide of camphor, which IS In
soluble in water, but without utility. since l
obtained the two bodies simply pulverized.
1t must be admitted that they act by vapori-
zation. extended my researches to thu bo-
ron and silicon series; found the alkaline
borates and silicates, employed in small guam
titles g grains for 800 grains of water), re-
tarded termination from one to three days,
and that with larger quantities (9.O2 grains
for 800 grains of watsr) the phenomenon was
entirely.
Arsenious acid and the soluble arseniates
arrest termination and destroy the embryo,
when relatively small quantities are employed
(3-9 grains for 1880 grains of water. y
Complies Rendus de fAcadenaie des Sciences, rs.
AN ELECTRIC FISH BAIT.
In the Paris International Marine Exhibi-
ton there is q small object deserving Of
notice. Il is platinum wire placed in a bot
tie and ignited by electricity from bichro-
mate battery. 1t is intended to be immersed
in the sea, and the light emanaing from it is
said to attract an immense number Of fishes.
Experiments have been tried lately on the
coast of the Cortes du Nord department with
a fishing boat, and have proved very satistac-
tory on bank of sardines. The glass must
be green or black, otherwise the fl h are
frightened by the glare and do not follow the
submarine light.
THE PHoNoMETER.
This apparatus is designed to assist the sig
mailman on steamships in marking the inter
walls of time at which the fog-horn or whistle
is to be blown, and to regulate the sounds in
such way as to cause them to announce the
ships course. It consists of q horizontal
clock, placed, face up, in some convenient
position in sight of the signai-man. The face
IS about eight inches in diameter, and indi-
Gates seconds only, the minute and hour
figures and hands being upon a small dial
near one edge, just as the secondhand is
placed on watches. The secondhand has
four arms at right angles with each other, and
above the face is a movable disk, or dumb
,ard, that obscures about three-fourths of the
whole dial.
Around the edge of the clock face are paint
ID section or segments One of these covers
ZEN seconds space; four mark five seconds
zach. Outside of the clock is fat brass ring.
having the points of the compass marked upon