REPORT OF BOTANIST. 



W. J. ROBBINS. 



Prof. J. F. Duggar, Director, 



Alabama Experiment Station, 

 Auburn, Alabama. 

 Sir: 



1. Under the Soils Toxin Project, which is carried on under 

 the Adams Fund, I can report the following results: The 

 cause of the disappearance of Vanillin, Cumarin, Pyridine and 

 Quinoline in the soil has been found to be due to the action 

 of bacteria. It is believed that th.e bacteria concerned in the 

 disappearance of these compounds arc more or less specific 

 for each of them. 



We have also found that guanidine carbonate, which is 

 toxic at very weak concentrations to higher plants in water 

 culture, is readily used as a source of nitrogen by many of the 

 soil fungi. The compound appears to be absorbed and used 

 as such but with the autolysis of the fungi the nitrogen in it 

 appears as ammonia. 



2. Some progress has also been made under the Hatch Fund 

 in a preliminary study of the factors affecting cellulose diges- 

 tion in fungi. This work is undertaken with the ultimate view 

 of studying the causes of resistance of many plants to disease. 



3. The list of Station projects are: 



(1) Soils Toxin project, Adams Fund. 



(2) Miscellaneous Botanical Investigations, Hatch Fund. 



Respectfully submitted, 



WILLIAM J. BOBBINS, 



BotanisL 



