CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF PLANTS 71 



how during the process of germination, that causes increased 

 hydrolysis. 



The metabolism of fats is more complicated than the trans- 

 formations of carbohydrates. The intensive hydrolysis of fats 

 does not lead to any considerable accumulation of fatty acids 

 and glycerin. These products of the transformation of fats 

 very soon undergo further transformations, and sugars appear 

 in their place. In studying the germination of sunflower seeds, 

 Miller (1910) observed the following chemical changes in their 

 composition. One hundred originally dormant seeds contained 

 4.0 g. of fats and 0.3 g. of sugars. Four days after germination 

 began, they contained 3.2 g. of fats and fatty acids and 0.08 g. of 

 sugars. On the seventh day after germination, there were 

 1.5 g. of fats and 0.55 g. of sugar. Seven days later, there were 

 0.55 g. of fats and 0.21 g. of sugars. From these data, it is 

 apparent that the quantity of sugar diminishes rapidly in the 

 beginning of germination owing to an intense sugar utilization; 

 later on, it increases again on account of the rapidly decreasing 

 amounts of fats. Toward the end of germination, over 80 per 

 cent of fats had disappeared, and the amount of sugar began to 

 decrease again. Glycerin is not found in any considerable 

 quantities, for it is rapidly transformed into other products. 



The transformation of fatty acids into sugars in germinating 

 seeds proceeds with the same ease as the reverse process of the 

 formation of fats on account of carbohydrate translocation from 

 the leaves into the ripening seeds. However, these changes 

 have not yet been accomplished artificially, and their chemical 

 nature is not clearly understood as yet. It can only be pointed 

 out that the transformation of fats into sugars is essentially a 

 process of oxidation and is accompanied by the absorption of 

 oxygen. 



According to the investigations of S. L. Ivanov, the trans- 

 formation may be represented in the following diagram: 



fatty acids — > oxyacids 

 / \ 



fats sugars 



glycerin — > aldehydes 



It is of interest to note that in spite of the ease with which 

 this process takes place in plant and animal organisms, it is most 



