loo Indianapolis Biochemical Meeting: Abstracts [Sept. 



Creatinine in Plants and in the Medium in Which They Grow 



M. X. SULLIVAN 



{From the Laboratory of Fertility Investigations, Bureau of Soils.) 



By means of the Creatinine zinc chloride method, Creatinine was 

 foiind in the alcohol extracts of wheat seed, wheat seedhngs, 

 wheat bran, rye, clover, alfalfa, cowpeas and potatoes, and in water 

 extracts of wheat and tea. It was found also in the water in which 

 seedHngs had grown and in the water and glycerine extracts of 

 planted soil. Though the amount of Creatinine and its congener 

 creatine in vegetable matter is small, it is worthy of attention since 

 by the decay of plants, by direct cell sloughing or even by osmosis, 

 the Creatinine and creatine are left in the water and soil. 



The Effect of Temperature on the Respiration of Fruits 



i'i H. C. GORE 



{Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agriculture.) 



This paper presents the results of an exact study of the respira- 

 tion of fruits as determined in specially designed absorption and 

 constant temperature apparatus. Many fruits of several different 

 types were investigated in this manner and great variations in 

 respiratory intensity were found. However, when the results were 

 plotted in curves these variations disappeared and the curves were 

 of the same general type. Small fruits and those tending to rnature 

 early respire with considerable rapidity while slowly growing and 

 maturing fruits like those of the citrus type respire very slowly. 

 The common ones such as apples, grapes, and peaches formed a 

 group characterized by a respiration of moderate intensity. Mathe- 

 matical expressions were deduced for the respiration values under 

 different conditions. The rate of respiration more than doubled 

 for each io° rise in temperature. Field experiments showed that 

 picking had very little effect upon the respiratory function. (Bul- 

 letin 142.) 



