153] Zusammensetzung 409 



inereases with the aging of the plant, perhaps partly being (lue to the develop- 

 menl of the root system with numerous branehing rootlets, increasing the radius 

 of the feeding area from a few inches to 2 ft. or more.- 2. This high capacity 

 for nitrate absorption and storage must be an important factor in making Ama- 

 ranthus a very successful competitor againsl cultivated plant.-, so effectively 

 withdrawing as it does the nutrient element most commonly limiting plant 

 production. It would be interesting to know how generally and to what degree 

 weeds possess this power. 3. The carbohydrates and nitrogen Compounds 

 Quctuate throughout the growing period. The fluctuation of the carbohydrates 

 is in the reverse order of the nitrogen Compounds. This inverse ratio is not a 

 truly mathematical constant, but in general when the carbohydrates are high 

 the nitrogen Compounds are low, and vice versa. As the nitrate nitrogen 

 composes more tlian 50 per eent in the stems and branches, there is a possibility 

 that nitrates have some modifying effects on this reciprocal relationship. This 

 inverse ratio is due partly to the synthesis of protein. Chlorophyll, phospholipin, 

 and other organic nitrogen Compounds at the expense of the soluble carbo- 

 hydrates. 4. Tissue analysis of the seeds shows the distribution of different 

 forms of phosphorus in the various fraetions. The organic phosphorus, which 

 consists chiefly of phosphoprotein and nucleoprotein phosphorus, is high, and 

 that of the inorganic form is low 7 . 5. The distribution of nitrogen in seeds is 

 in the same order as that of the phosphorus. The insoluble portion contains 

 80 — 83 per cent of the total. The soluble part varies from 17 to 20 per cent, 

 most of which is in the organic form. The inorganic form is represented by 

 the nitrate nitrogen. 6. The predominating sugars in the seeds are the Polysac- 

 charides. These compose nearly one-half of the total dry weight of the seeds. 

 In both A. retroflexus and .4. blitoides there is absence of lipin sugars in Fi 

 and reducing sugars in Fa. Only a small amount of non-reducing sugars was 

 present in the two varieties. 7. The presence of nitrogen and phosphorus in the 

 lipin fraction indicates that the seeds contain Phosphatides. Phytosterol was 

 also present. By comparison A. retroflexus has 2,8 times as much as A. bli- 

 toides."' 



1025. "YYrede, Fritz. Da.-- Glykosid und d i e S ä u r e n de r 

 Achülea millefolium L. (Diss. Jena 1917, 8°, 15 pp.) — „Zusammengefaßt sind 

 die Ergebnisse der Arbeit diese: I. In der Schafgarbe findet sich an Säuren 

 in größerer Menge nur die Orthophosphorsäure. Diese ist als identisch mit der 

 „Achillea-SäuTe" 7A\ betrachten. II. Das Glykosid Achillein konnte zwar nicht, 

 kristallisiert, wohl aber in fester, pulveriger Form erhalten werden. Es reagiert 

 neutral und bildet mit Säuren keine Salze. Bei der Hydrolyse spaltet es Glukose 

 ab, die als Osazon identifiziert wurde. III. Das Achillein ist in pharma- 

 kologischen Dosen auf den tierischen Organismus ohne toxische Einwirkung 

 und läßt beim Warmblüter (Kaninchen) Blutdruck und Atmung unbeeinflußt." 



1026. Young, H. D. Effect o f fertilizers o n the c o m p o - 

 sition and quality of oranges. (Journ. Agric. Res. 8, 1917, p. 127 

 bis 138.) — Summary: „1. Nitrogen is the only fertilizer which in this ex- 

 periment seemed to exercise a specific effect on the composition of oranges. 

 2. Applications of nitrogen to the soil resulted in a slightly lower amount of 

 sugar, a somewhat coarser fruit, and a little less juice in the orange. 3. The 

 effect of nitrogen was the same, whether applied alone, in combination with 

 either potash or phosphoric acid, or both. 4. The effect of nitrogen was greater 



Botanischer Jahresbericht XLVIII (1920) 2. Abt. [Gedruckt 1. 12. 30] 27 



