288 Procccd'mgs Columbia Biochemical Association [Jan. 



that may exist between the weight of the root of the beet and the 

 chemical composition of its juice. We have compiled such data 

 from varions federal and State bulletins, and have examined them 

 by calculating the intensity of such relationships on the — i to + i 

 Scale of the coefficient of correlation. We have also written the 

 regression equations showing the absolute change in solids, sugar, or 

 purity, associated with a unit change in the weight of the beet.° 



We find that composition and purity are very closely correlated 

 with the weight of the beet; as the weight increases, total solids, 

 purity and sucrose fall rapidly. The following is a representative 

 summary showing the rate of fall on the relative scale of — i to + i 

 of the coefficient of correlation, and the rate on an absolute scale by 

 the second term of the regression equation, where w= weight, 

 j=rz sucrose, /) = purity and ;f = total solids. 



Data pertaining to 475 Beets'' 



rwt = — 0.497 — 0.023 ^ = 20.1 19 — 0.096 w 

 rws = — 0.576 ± 0.021 s = 17.644 — o. 122 w 

 rwp = — 0.474 ± 0.024 p = 88.516 — 0.273 w 



Inasmuch as our results show the necessity of taking into account 

 the weight of the individual beets in all studies on composition, and 

 because of the bearing of our data on the beet sugar industry, we 

 shall publish them in füll in the Journal of Industrial and Engineer- 

 ing Chemistry (1913, v, p. 192). 



49. Fasting studies. XI. Note on the composition of the 

 muscle of fasting dogs. Paul E. Howe (with H. C. Biddle). 

 (Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, University of Illinois.) 

 To be published in füll in the April number of the Biochemical 

 Bulletin. 



50. The role of phagocytes in the involuting tail of amphib- 

 ian larvae. Max Morse. (Boardman Laboratories, Trinity Col- 

 lege, Hartford, Conn.) Barfurth, Metchnikoff, Mercier, and 

 others have sought, in the phagocytes, the principal factor in the 

 absorption of tissues. This has been held in question mainly by 

 Looss, who believes that a chemical dissolution is at the basis of the 



'Harris: American Naturalist, 1910, xliv, p. 693. 



* Nevada Data. Wilson: Bull. 32, Nev. Agri. Exper. Sta., 1896. 



