The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-01-11

ture to saturation, the water absorbed
being 4S.2 per cent on the water-free
weight of the soil. To tub No. 1,
enough citric acid was added to make
acid was applied in the water absorbed
an one-tenth Q-10 per cent solution.
To tub No. citric acid was added to
make the absorbed water an one
fiftieth Q-50 per cent solution. In
each of the tubs II varieties of seeds
were planted; these being planted in
circle, and equal distances apart. The
seeds terminated quickly, and were
up within four days, and had healthy
appearance. After the plants were up,
and one inch high, the mode of apply
ing the acid was changed. When the
acid was applied in the water absorbed
by capillarity from the tin-pans it was
not equally distributed through the
mass of the soil, but was more or less
fixed by the bases in the soil at the
bottom of the tubs, and did not reach
the plants. Therefore the acid was
dissolved in water and applied around
the plants at the surface. This was
controlled by determining the loss of
water from the tubs by evaporation,
and replacing the lost water, with the
weight of citric acid dissolved in it
necessary to bring up the whole volume
of water in the tubs to 40 per cent
and 1-50 per cent solutions respectively.
This was repeated every fourth day.
the acid solution being applied by our
field assistant, E. G. Clarke, with a
pipette, and in strictly equal quantities
to each plant. With this detailed de-
scription of the mode of applying the
citric acid to the tubs, the results may
be given, which are found in the tables
herewith appended.
The CrHciferd succumbed almost i'm
mediately to the action of the acid, the
1-50 solution acting as effectually as
the 10 solution This behavior of the
crucifera under artificial treatment
with citric acids corresponds to GER
tain general observations upon the
growing of root crops in non-aerated
and sour lands.
The lupine, beans and vetch strug
gled hard and long against the acid ac-
ton, but none of these fully matured, or
formed seed. The crimson clover and
alfalfa succumbed as rapidly as the
crucifers, showing that the clovers
cannot bear an acid soil, and explain
ing one cause of the extreme hunger"
of the clovers for lime.
The Grdminde showed a very vari-
able behavior in relation to the acid
The wheat, barley and oats failed al
most completely, although none of
these actually died The maize grew
well, had a strong and deep green
colored blade, and reached a moderate
size, forming a full blossom, but no
seed The pearl millet distinguished
itself from all the other varieties. It's
growth was steady and quite normal,
as compared with plat of millet grow
ing in the field near by, which it ac
tually exceeded in development, reach
ing 5 feet inches in height. Five
large heads matured, which contained
a finer grade of seed than was origin
ally planted. A special test was made
with the millet, in which the plant
was treated every fourth day with an
I per cent. solution of citric acid. This
strength of solution kept the young
plant, WHICH was THREE iuCHtS HIGH,
at standstill for three weeks. After
that the plant appeared to accommo
date itself to the intense acidity, and
began a further growth, and was two
feet high when the experiment was
stopped "a photograph was taken of
this eXample).
Concerning the relation of these OBJ
to common findings in the
field, it may be said that maize is
being planted with some success in
our upland, acid soils; and millet will
now be tried. The effects of acidity
upon the crucifers, and certain leg
umes, has been noted in soils notably
less sour than most of the upland soils
of these Islands. The Director and
of the Rhode Island Gu.
S. Experiment Station, Professor
Fagg, in a communication says, in
speaking of a sample of soil sent to
the laboratories of the writer, I'VE
have found all this soil acid when
tested with litmus paper; so much so