202 PHYSIOLOGY [BoT. Absts., Vol. X, 



1337. Trelease, Sam F. The relation of salt proportions and concentrations to the growth 

 of young wheat plants in nutrient solutions containing a chloride. Philippine Jour. Sci. 17: 

 527-603. Fig. 1-12. 1920. — This study was undertaken to throw more light upon the influ- 

 ence of considerable amounts of potassium chloride in a nutrient solution that also contains 

 other salts supplying all the essential elements. No injurious or retarding effect was observed 

 that could be definitely ascribed to high partial concentrations of potassium chloride, and no 

 characteristic injury was seen that could with certainty be related to the chloride. — Albert 

 R. Sweetser. 



PHOTOSYNTHESIS 



1338. Anonymous. Carbon-dioxide as a fertilizer. Sci. Amer. Monthly 3: 141. 1921. 



METABOLISM (GENERAL) 



1339. BBUTOiiO, P. Azione dell' acido solforico suU' artemisina.[The action of sulphuric 

 acid upon artemisin.] Gazz. Chim. Ital. 50: 114-119. 1920. 



1340. BertolOjP. Nuove ricerche suU' artemisina. [A new study of artemisin.] Gazz. 

 Chim. Ital. 50:109-113. 1920. — In the previous communications the author established the 

 identity of the compound, and in the present paper the action of sulphuric acid, hydriodic 

 acid, sodium, chlorine, acetyl-chloride, barium hydrate, and of light are determined. — 

 A. Bonazzi. 



1341. CiAMiciAN, G., E C. Ravenna. Considerazioni intorno alia funzione degli alcaloidi 

 nelle piante. [The functions of alkaloids in plants.] Atti R. Accad. Lincei Roma Rend. (CI. 

 Sci. Fis. Mat. e Nat.) 29^: 416-420. 1920.— Having found, as reported in a previous article 

 (same publication 29^: 10. 1920), that betaine — differing from the quaternary bases, such as 

 the salts of tetramethyl ammonia — is only slightly toxic to the bean plant, the authors 

 endeavored unsuccessfully to relate the lack of toxicity to the occurrence of this substance in 

 the bean plant. They also tried to isolate from the extract of the bean plant the volatile bases 

 described by Pictet, which should be of a pyrroline or pyrrolidine nature, the so-called protoal- 

 kaloids; but instead found trimethyl amine, which was in accord with their previous results 

 with other plants. They review previous papers to show that the natural alkaloids have in 

 general a markedly toxic action on plants, which indicates that they may have the function 

 of vegetable hormones and prefer this explanation to that of Bernardini, that they are refuse 

 products of catabolism transformed into alkaloids to protect the plants from external enemies. 

 —F. M. Blodgett. 



1342. CiAMiciAN, G., E C. Ravenna. Sul contegno di alcune sostanze organiche nei 

 vegetali. XIII. [Upon the behavior of some organic substances in plants. 13th note.] Gazz. 

 Chim. Ital. 51^: 200-222. Fig. IS. 1921.— This is one of a series of papers dealing with the 

 behavior of living plants towards organic substances when such substances are absorbed by 

 the roots or when they are directly inoculated into the tissues (see Bot. Absts. 5, Entry 2240; 

 6, Entry 1317; 7, Entries 2133, 2134; 10, Entries 1341, 1302). The present contribution is divided 

 as follows: (1) Behavior of Phaseolus towards ethyl-, propl-, butyl-, and amylamine, glycocoll, 

 alanine, leucine, and isoamylamine when neutralized by H3PO4. (2) Role of the degree of 

 hydrogenation of the compounds studied. In this chapter are studied phthalic and tetrahy- 

 drophthalic acids, quinoline and tetrahydroquinoline, and cymene and limonene. (3) 

 Behavior of condensed benzene nuclei, a comparison of aniline and naphthylamine. (4) Role 

 of the length of the carbon chain, studied by a comparison of formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, 

 and valeric acids as well as of isovaleric, caprj'lic, lauric, and palmitic acids. (5) Number of 

 methyl radicles, a comparison of carbopyrrolic against dimethylpyrrolic-dicarbonic acids, and 

 glucose against methylglucoside, K2SO4, and K-CH3-S04. The substances studied were 

 applied to Phaseolus growing in a substrate of cotton. The type of development after treat- 

 ment was taken as an index of the physiological value of the substance. (6 and 8) The fact 



