KozLowsKi : Primary Synthesis of Proteids 47 



r 



glucose with 0.91 in order to reduce its amount of carbon to the 

 same number as represented in the third column : 



Glucose. 



Asparag:in. Le^min. Difference. 



C = 64.9 C = 36.4 +28.5 = 28.5 



H= 8.8 " ' ^ 



N = 21.2 



O = 30.6 



c = 



= 36.4 



H = 



= 6.1 



N = 



= 21.2 



= 



= 36.4 



-1-2.7 H= 4.7 



5.8 O 37.8 



125.5 lOO.O 



71.0 



The difference between the two latter columns is 



H = 2 = H, 



O = 43.6 or nearly 2~A O 



rpl 



atoms of N. In other words the transition from amides to proteids, 

 supposing that the lacking elements are supplied by the carbo- 

 hydrates, is a reduction. It may be, that this part of the synthe- 

 sis requires the action of those strongly reducing bodies, which 

 were found in the leaves by Schimpcr ; for, as we know, the 

 amides can be accumulated in darkness while the formation of pro- 

 teids from them is connected with the action of light upon chlor- 

 ophyll as stated by Schimper. The new experiments in this line* 

 show indeed, that if the plants have at their disposition an abund- 

 ant supply of carbohydrates they can produce this synthesis in 

 darkness : This does not appear strange, for they are then placed in 

 the same conditions which exist generally in fungi, the needed 



reducing energy being supplied by the oxidation of the surplus of 

 sugar. 



F 



Another point to be considered is the origin of the oxalic acid. • 

 We have seen that Schimper as well as Ecrthelot and Andre con- 

 sider it as an indirect product of the synthesis of proteids and this 

 opinion generally prevails among physiologists in opposition to 

 the older supposition of Ilolzner, who considered it as the result 

 of their decomposition. On the other hand we see that oxalic 

 acid is produced at nearly every decomposition or splitting of the 

 proteid molecule. 



The only fact which can throw any light about the question 



*The above quoted pieces of work of Berthold, Haiisteen and Kinoshita; W. Zaleski 

 in Ber. deutsch. bot. Ges. 15 : 536. 



