Vol. 26 



No. 2 



BULLETIN 



OF THE 



TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB 



fp:bruary 1899 



1 



The primary Synthesis of Proteids in Plants 



By W. M. Kozlowski 



Our knowledge concerning the primary products of carbon 

 synthesis and the formation of carbohydrates in plants is in a de- 

 gree exact,* but regarding the question of synthesis of proteids 

 we are not in a position to give any plausible reasons for our sup- 

 positions. This is not strange, when we consider that the very 

 product of this synthesis is imperfectly known and that until 

 recently we have had no rational nor even empirical formula 

 of proteids which we could assume with any degree of probability. 



I believe that little worthy of note will be omitted if I divide 

 into four classes the views set forth in the scientific literature upon 

 the structure of proteids. 



1. Hunt considered these as nitryls of sugar, derived from the 

 latter and ammonia, a supposition which can hardly be recon- 

 ciled with the recent results of physiological and chemical in- 

 i^estigations. 



2. Sachssc holds that they are anhydrides produced from 

 asparagin and from fatty aldehydes. 



r 



3. According to Schiitzenberger they are composed of ureids, 

 derivatives of carbamide. 



4. Finally, Grimaux, in his definition of proteids as com- 

 pounds which by addition of w^ater are decomposed into carbonic 



*The author has shown in a Polish paper (Wezechswiat, 1S93, Nos. 4 and 5) that 

 the recent discoveries of E. Fischer make equally plausible three suppositions about the 

 formation of carbohydrates from COg and HgO in plants; one of them is the well- 

 known hypothesis of Bayer, the second was proposed by E. Fischer himself and the 

 third by the author of the quoted paper. 



[Issued F'ebruary 8.] 



