234 WILLIAM EUGENE PICKLER 



At 5°C, a temperature a little above the minimum for diastase 

 activity, a small increase in the water content of the grains 

 shows a rather marked increase of the diastase. At this tem- 

 perature grains containing 10.91%, of water show a diastase 

 activity of approximately 37, as indicated by the hours required 

 to convert the starch in 20 cc. of a 0.2% solution. With a water 

 content of 16.44% the diastase activity is 34|. Thus (table 8), 

 the water content of grains suspended above a saturated solu- 

 tion of CaCl 2 (5.45 grams) and that above a solution, 1-1, (8.22 

 grams), are as 5.45 : 8.22. The diastase of the same samples is 

 as 36.8 : 54.3, expressed in the period of time necessary for con- 

 version of the starch solution. Likewise the water content of 

 grains above a solution, 1-3, (11.17 grams), and that above a 

 solution, 1-1, (8.22 grams), are as 11.17: 8.22, while the diastase 

 of the same samples is as 29.8: 34.3. In views of these facts and 

 since a constant temperature was always maintained, it is evi- 

 dent that the water content of the grains is an important factor 

 influencing diastase formation. 



Similar comparisons may be drawn between the water content 

 and the diastase formation at the other temperatures used. For 

 example, at 10°C. as shown in table 7, the grains above a satu- 

 rated solution of CaCl 2 contained 11.02% of water while those 

 above distilled contained 29.91%, a difference of about 19%. 

 The water content (table 8) in the first sample (5.51 grams) is 

 to the water content in the second sample (14.95 grams) as 

 5.51: 14.95, while the diastase in the two samples is as 36.25: 

 24.25. While the per cent of water absorbed by the grains above 

 the various solutions at 15°C. do not seem to conform to the 

 amount absorbed at the other temperatures, from the results 

 given in table 7, the diastase formation still seems to conform 

 to the amount of water in the grains. Thus, while the grains 

 contained more water when suspended over a solution, 1-7, 

 than they did when held above distilled water, the time for con- 

 version in the first case is about thirty minutes less than in the 

 latter. In other words, the water content (table 8) of the first 

 sample (15.35 grams) is to the water content of the second 

 sample (14.37 grams) as 15.35 : 14.37. The diastase in these 



