24 H ^-B ftA * © M '^ '14 K I- ^ ^ -^ 



luteci^^), eyclamose (in the tuber of Cijdamen euro_p((£um-\ stacliyose (in the rhizome 

 of Stachys tid)enfer(c'^), Lans'mm oltuus'^) and (^tlier Labiacefe^^ and verbascose 

 (in mullein roof'^). These sugars are all of di-, tri- or tetrasaccharide, except 

 sucrose which is widely distributed in the vegetable kingdom. It will be then of 

 great interest to study in detail these organs in many plants in this connection. 

 The arrowhead tuber or Kuwai was selected as the first material to be studied. 



A search of the literature on Sagittmia snijittifolia forma simnsls failed to 

 show the result of special investigations on the composition (jf its tubers, beyond 

 a brief article l)y Kelhier'^ on their general composition. His analysis is as 

 follows : 



Original material Water-free substance 



% % 



Water <36.86 — 



Ash 1.43 4.31 



Protein 7.05 21.26 



Fat 0.55 1.65 



Crude fiber 1.18 3.56 



Nitrogen-free extracts 22.93 69.21 



Consequently, at the beginning of this investigation we liave midertaken to 

 test the carbohydrates of the arrowhead tubers and have obtained the following result. 



Water 78.16^ 



in %Yiiter-free substance 



Starch 55.32%" 



Dextrin 1.75% . 



Reducmg sugars 0.67^ (as glucose). 



Non-reducing sugars ^■^^% (as sucrose). 



1) Meyer,- Zs. Physiol. Chem., Bd. 6, P. 135 (1832) ; Ber. D. chem. Ges., B.l. 15, P. 530 (1882) ; 

 Bourquelot & Nardin,- Compt. rend., Tome 126, P. 280 (1898). 



2) Michaud.- Journ. de Pharm et de Chim., (5), 16, P. 84 (1887). 



3) Planta,- Landw. Versuchsst.it., Bd. 25, P. 473 (1877) ; Schulze & Planta,- Ber, D. chem. Ges., 

 Bd. 23, P. 1692 (18J0) ; Bd. 24, P. 2705 (1891) ; Landw. Versuchsstat., Bd. 40, P. 277 (1892) ; Bd. 41, 

 P. 123 (1893); Strohmer & Stift,- Oesterr-ungar. Zs. f. Zuckerind. u. Landw., Bd. 20, P. 895 (1891); 

 Hanauser,- Chem. Centralbl., Bd, I, P. 518 (1894) ; Tanret,- Compt. rend.. Tome 134, P. 1586 (1902) ; 

 Tome 136, P. 1569 (1903) ; BuU. do la Soc. chim., (3), 27, P. 947 (1902); 29, P. 888 (1903). 



4) Piftult,- Journ. de Pharm. et de Chim., (6), 29, P. 236 (1903) ; Chem. Centralbl., Bd. I, P. 1168 

 (1909). 



5) Piault,- Journ. de Pharm. et de Chim., (7), 1, P. 248 (1910) ; Chem. Ztg., Bd. 34, P. 186 (1910). 



6) Bourquelot & Bridel,- Compt. rend.. Tome 151, PP, 760-762 (1910) ; Chem. Abs., Vol. 5, P. 

 1263 (1911). 



7) Konig.-Chemie der menschlichen Nahrungs u. Genassmittel., Berlin, Bd. I, P. 705 (1903). 



