Abstract
1. When the rice straw was extracted with the following solvents succesively, Silicic acid was detected in every case except ether, the quantities of which were as in following table : [table] 2. When the rice straw, amorphous silica powder and potassium silicate were immersed in alcohol of different concentration for 18 days, the presence of silicic acid was always confirmed more or less. 3. Many inorganic nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, potash, lime, magnesia and manganese were absorbed by barley plant in its early period of growth, on the contrary, a great deal of silicic acid and ferric oxide rather in later period. 4. It seems that silicon is usually absorbed by plants, transported from one organ to another and accumulated in the form of free colloidal silicic acid ; facilitates the transportation of the nutrients such as phosphoric acid, Sulphuric acid, etc., and occupies the situation of them after they were transported to new growing points.
