2 Morphologie etc. — Physiologie. 



ready to cut. Some decrease in dry weight takes place during the 

 last week. 



2. Three stages may be distinguished in the formation of the 

 grain, the last stage being the ripening period characterised by the 

 dessication of the grain. 



3. The plant continually moves into the grain uniform material 

 possessing alwaj'^s the same ratio of nitrogenous to non-nitrogenous 

 materials and ash for the individual plant. 



4. The main feature of the ripening process is dessication rather 

 than the setting in of such chemical changes as the conversion of 

 sugars into starch, non protein into protein, though the latter change 

 also takes place. 



5. The maximum dry weight of grain is attained a day or .two 

 before the grain would be regarded as ripe by the farmer. Experi- 

 ments have shown that there will be no loss of weight nor loss in 

 the quality of the wheat by cutting before the corn appears quite 

 ripe, while accidental mechanical losses may thus be avoided. 



W. Brenchley. 



Costerus, J. C, Raspberries on a bifurcate thalamus. 

 (Rec. des Trav. bot. neerlandais, VI. p. 63—66. 1909.) 



The author studied these raspberries in subsequent stages of 

 development and found a really dichotomous torus very rare; the 

 bifurcations were caused by a Splitting up of the receptacle. The 

 actual moment of Splitting was not observed but the author supposes 

 that it must coincide with maturity, and it is admitted that the ten- 

 sion between the vascular bundles becomes so strong that the slightest 

 cause suffices to tear up the weaker portions. In a dry season the 

 number of bifurcations is much greater. « Th. Weevers. 



Hörne, A. S., Observations on Protoplasmic Structure 

 and Streaming in Potato. (Proc. Univ. of Durham phil. Soc. 

 III. 3. p. 95—98. 1909.) 



Active Streaming may be observed in cells passing from a 

 storage to an c.ssimilatory function within the cork-cambium of 

 potato tubers; also, in storage cells bordering diseased tissue. These 

 instances come und er Ewart's category of cells stored with food 

 material, which only begin to shew Streaming as their störe is 

 emptied. No peripheral non-moving layer can be detected in the 

 protoplasm of the Streaming cells examined. 



Agnes Arber (Cambridge). 



Bernardini, L. e G. ChiaruUi. Lecitina e lecitidi nella 

 germinazione dei semi. (Staz. sperim. agrarie. XLII. p. 97 — 115. 



1909.) 



Im ruhenden Weizensamen macht das gebundene Lecithin etwas 

 das doppelte des freien aus. Bei normaler Lichtkeimung bilden sich 

 freies Lecithin und Lecithide (mit anderen Kernen gebundenes 

 Lecithin), das Verhältniss bleibt aber konstant. Die Vermehrung 

 beider Körperklassen beginnt mit dem Ergrünen des Keimes. Bei 

 der Keimung im Dunkeln werden Lecithide schneller als das freie 

 Lecithin verbraucht. E. Pantanelli. 



ßernardini, L. e G. Sinisealchi. Intorno all' influenza di 



