No. 3, April, 1921] PHYSIOLOGY 309 



persicum. The compounds studied were methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, butyl- 

 amine, amylamine, isoamylamine, formamide, acetamide, butyric acid, isobutyric, oxalic, 

 and succinic acids; potassium, methyl, and ethyl tartrates; sa ts of trimethylammonium; 

 betaine, pyridine, picoline, quinoline, isoquinoline, quinaldine, cocaine, ecgonine, nor-ecgo- 

 nine; and the methylic ether of nor-ecgonine. Caffeine, theobromine, nicotine, codeine, 

 and morphine were also studied. A large variation in behavior towards the growing plants 

 was observed, some being extremely toxic, others only producing etiolation and others being 

 without action. Some of the compounds used have a stimulating effect upon the formation 

 of chlorophyll with a resultant deeper shade of green in the leaves, and a greater production 

 of starch. Trimethylamine, pyridine, piperidine, caffeine, theobromine, and pyrocatechine 

 were found in the pulp of the bean plants after they had grown in solutions containing these 

 substances.— The second part of the paper is given to the study of the transformation of the 

 compounds in the pulp of Spinacia. Asparagine was found to be transformed into acetic 

 aldehyde, acetic and succinic acids; lactic acid was synthesized into a compound which 

 yielded it again on treatment with emulsin; salicylic acid behaved similarly to lactic acid, 

 but it also gave rise to a small quantity of volatile acids. — A. Bonazzi. 



2134. CiAMiciAN, G., E C. Ravenna. SuU-infiuenza di alcune sostanze organiche sullo 

 sviluppo delle piante. Nota IV. [On the influence of some organic substances on the develop- 

 ment of plants.] Atti R. Accad. Lincei Roma Rend. (CI. Sci. Fis. Mat. eXat.) V, 291; 7-13. 

 1920.— This is a continuation of experiments previously reported (Rendiconti V, 26^: 4; 

 27': 38; 29': 13) in which kidney-bean plants in cotton in germinators were watered with 

 solutions one to a thousand of substances being tested. Tested in this way methylamine, 

 ethylamine, propylamine, butylamine, and amylamine showed a diminishing toxicity 

 (except in the case of the substance first mentioned), which paralleled the increasing length 

 of the chain of carbon atoms. Isoamylamine was more harmful than normal amylamine and 

 produced an albinism similar to that produced by nicotine. Similarly the isobutyrate of 

 potassium was more harmful than the normal butyrate. Foramide was deleterious while 

 acetamide was not. Oxalic acid caused a poorer growth than succinic acid. Methyl and ethyl 

 tartrate produced spots on the primordial foliage while potassium tartrate was harmless. 

 Quinoline, isoquinoline, and quinaldine were all poisonous, the last most so. While cocaine 

 proved strongly toxic, ecgonine and the methyl ether of nor-ecgonine only caused a few spots 

 on the first leaves and nor-ecgonine was without effect. A few experiments were made with 

 other plants which were in general only affected by the more toxic substances and showed 

 considerable differences in behavior. That theobromine and caffeine stimulate a production 

 of starch was confirmed. Spectroscopic examination of alcoholic extracts of certain experi- 

 mental plants, dark in color, showed only quantitative differences.— F. M. Blodgett. 



2135. Ghirlanda, Carlo. SuUe sostanze tanniche del "Morus alba." [Tannic sub- 

 stances in Morus alba.] Atti. R. Accad. Lincei Roma Rend. (CI. Sci. Fis. Mat. e Nat.) V, 

 29': 146-148. 1920.— Analyses were made after the methods of Lowenthal and Schroder 

 of various parts of the mulberry tree. Except in the wood of the branches, considerable 

 quantities of tannins were found in the different parts, the amount increasing in the follow- 

 ing order: wood of the roots, cortex of the branches; cortex of the roots; foliage. The foliage 

 contained more tannic substances in the morning than in the evening. — F. M. Blodgett. 



2136. Hefs, K., xjnd W. Weltzien. Uber die Fahigkeit der Pflanze optische Antipoden 

 aufzubauen. [The possibility of plants building up optical antipodes.] Ber. Deutsch. Chem. 

 Ges. 53: 119-129. 1920.— Experunents attempting to cause racemization of d. coniine and d. 

 methyl coniine gave negative results. — Henry Schmitz. 



2137. Jones, Walter. The chemical constitution of adenine nucleotide and of yeast 

 nucleic acid. Amer. Jour. Physiol. 52: 193-202. 1920. 



2138. Kappen, H., und M. Zapfe. Die Aziditat der Pflanzensafte unter dem Einfluss 

 einer Kalkdiingung. [The acidity of plant juices under the influence of liming.] Landw. 



