A CORRECTION BY F R A N K K. CAMERON
In a recent issue of this Journal’ there is a paper entitled T h e Toxic Action of Acids and Salts on Seedlings” of which I was a joint author. I t was pointed out that the toxic effect of certain acids on clover seedlings was apparently increased by the presence of potassium salts, and the statement was made, ‘‘ This is of special interest as being, so far as we are aware, the first instance observed when the addition of a second electrolyte to the solution of another, has not reduced the toxic action.” T h e statement should not have been made in this way, for, together. with Mr. Kearney,l I had some time previously described several such instances, when working with lupine seedlings. For instance, it was shown that the addition of sodium carbonate did not change the limit for magnesium sulphate ; sodium carbonate and magnesium carbonate did not change the limit for magnesium chloride ; and sodium chloride increased the toxic action of either sodium carbonate or sodium sulphate. In the great majority of cases, however, the addition of a second electrolyte does decrease the effect of the first, and the existence of these exceptions to an apparent law, complicates very much a study of phenomena for which no satisfactory explanations or generalizations have yet been proposed. “
Jour. Phys. Chem. 8,
I
(1904).
* Report 71, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
