The concentration of osmotically acthve solutes in the cell wall free space of young stem tissues was studied using a variety of extraction methods. When the intercellular air spaces of etiolated pea (Piswm sauivwm L.) internodes were perfused with distilled H20, the resulting solion contained a solute concentration of about 70 miliosmoles per kiogram. A second procedure involving vacuum infiltration of segments followed by centrifugation to coDlect the free space solution gave similar results. Apical stem segments yielded free space extracts about twice as concentrated as those from basal portions of the stem. After correcting for dilution of the free space solution by the infiltrated water, the osmotic pressure of the undiluted free space in pea stem tissue was estimated to be 2.9 bars for apical segments, Wayne) seedlings were grown in wet vermiculite in complete darkness at 27 ± 1 C and low RH (20-500o, not controlled). Plants were handled under dim green light obtained from a 40-w cool-white fluorescent lamp filtered through one amber and two green acetate filters (Roscolene No. 813 and No. 874; Roscoe, Port Chester, NY). Seedlings 6 to 8 cm tall were selected for experimentation; all subsequent operations were performed in the light. In some cases, pea seedlings were carefully removed from the vermiculite, the cotyledons excised with a new razor blade (under dim green light), and the seedlings replanted in vermiculite to grow for 2 d more in complete darkness.Osmotic Pressure of FS (e). The solution which makes up the cell wall FS was collected by three different methods, and 8-,ul samples were measured in a vapor pressure osmometer (Wescor model 5100; Wescor, Logan, UT). The osmometer was calibrated in the 0 to 100 mOs.kg-' range before and after all measurements.Osmolality was converted to osmotic pressure (at 20°C) by multiplying the value in Os.kg-' by 24.37 bar.Os`kg.The FS solution was collected in the first method by forced perfusion of the intercellular air channels with water. In this method, the basal ends of five excised segments were sealed with quick-setting epoxy (Qwik-Stik; GC Electronics, Rockford, IL) into a pressure vessel completely filled with water (Fig. 1). The vessel was pressurized using a gas cylinder, and the fluid which exuded from the ends of the segments was collected with a capillary tube. Excision was made under water (so the contents of the cut cells would be immediately released to the water), and the segments were incubated on water for 30 to 40 min on a rotary shaker before being placed in the apparatus. In a variation of this method, intact pea seedlings were sealed with epoxy into the lid of the pressure vessel, such that 4 to 5 cm of the shoot extended outside ofthe vessel (Fig. 1)