ioi THE ROLE OF NITHOCIEN IN PLANT-METABULISM, iv., 



The following are the tabulated results of the experiment : 



Table iv. 

 100 gnis. of fresh Vicia/aba seeds contain : — 



(Stage. Protein-N. Nonprot.-N. Total N. 



1 0-950 gm. 340gm. 1-290 



•2 1-124 186 llilO 



3 1-476 0-174 1-650 



The seeds, when examined at once, contained 1-29% of 

 nitrogen, composed of 0-95 in form of protein- and 0-34 in 

 form of nonprotein-compounds. After two days, Stage 2, 

 the total nitrogen was 1-31%, distributed in the form of pro- 

 tein 1-124, and other forms 01 86. In Stage 3, after 5 

 days in the isolated pods, the total nitrogen had increased 

 to 1-65%, and included 1-476 of protein- and 0174 of nonpro- 

 tein-nitrogen, respectively. 



The amounts, calculated for 100 seeds, are given below. 



Table v. 

 100 seeds of Vicia Julia contain : — 

 ytage. Weight. Protein-N. 



1 22-6 gms. 0-172 gm. 



2 65-7 0-846 



3 63-5 0-960 



Tablk vi. 

 Table v. expressed in per cent, of total nitrogen : — 

 Stage. Protein-N. Nonprot.-N. 



1 58-0 32-0 



2 87-5 12-5 



3 91-4 8-6 



From Table v., we ascertain that the seeds, by lying in the 

 isolated pods for five days, gain in total nitrogen, and the 

 absolute amount of protein has increased. Since, between 

 the first and third stages, the nonprotein-nitrogen has but 

 slightly increased, it seems that the protein in the seeds 

 could only have been augmented by the addition of protein 

 or protein-derivatives, which are precipitated by alcohol. The 

 only source possible for this additional protein, then, lies 

 in the pods, which, therefore, appear to act as reserve- 

 holders for the nitrogenous supply to the seeds, under special 

 conditions. 



