GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 231 



found in itself insufficient to account for the large accumu- 

 lation of asparagin in the Papilionaccce, Schulze utilised the 

 generalisation of Borodin, that asparagin is formed constant- 

 ly in metabolism, suggesting that, together with proteinic 

 regeneration from the amido-acids, katabolic changes oc- 

 curred in the growing seedling, the amido-acids thus 

 reformed being again consumed, and the amides neglected, 

 so that these gradually accumulated, which accumulation 

 has been experimentally demonstrated. Schulze criticised 

 Pfeffer's explanation, which had at first also occurred to 

 himself, stating that his own view was grounded on know- 

 ledge of the chemical behaviour of proteins and the view 

 generally accepted at that time, and not yet refuted, that 

 the amido-compounds exist preformed in proteins. Ac- 

 ceptation of this view necessitates the production of 

 amido-substances, in so far as they are of primary origin, 

 in the same quantitative proportions during germination as 

 is artificial hydrolysis. Schulze also pointed out that, even 

 if the view of the existence of preformed complexes should 

 be given up, yet his theory would not fall since based on 

 actual observations and not on theoretical speculations. 

 Schulze does not deny that plants may be able to decom- 

 pose proteins in different manners, but says that this question 

 is irrelevant, the point at issue being, whether during ger- 

 mination the products result in varying amount or not, and 

 especially whether asparagin, and glutamin in Cucurbita, 

 etc., can arise in such large amount as to contain a greater 

 part of albuminoid nitrogen than all the other products 

 together. Various reasons are given that militate against 

 such a view, and Schulze . has in the course of time 

 materially strengthened these, so that at present the only 

 possible conclusion is, that by far the greater part of the 

 amides results from secondary reactions, although they are 

 due indirectly to proteohydrolysis. He has recently shown 

 that arginin, which is so preponderant in the Coniferce, is a 

 direct product of hydrolysis. 



As a result of more extended investigations, Schulze has 

 found it necessary to modify his theory somewhat. At an 

 early stage he stated, that several observations pointed to the 



