214 PHYSIOLOGY [BoT. Absts., Vol. VIII, 



1480. Garino-Canina, E. Azione dei fosfati nella fermentazione alcoolica. [The action 

 of phosphates in alcoholic fermentation.] Staz. Sper. Agrarie Ital. 53: 67-78. Fig. 1. 1920. — 

 A yeast (no. 121) of the collection of the laboratory is cultivated in a medium made up of 

 saccharose, tartaric acid, potassium carbonate, potassiiun sulphate, magnesium sulphate, 

 calcium chloride, and asparagine to which varying quantities of potassium phosphate have 

 been added before sterilization. [The author does not mention which of the 3 phosphates was 

 used.] After incubation the cultures are filtered and alcohol, acetic acid, and yeast sub- 

 stance are determined and compared with the quantity of carbon dioxide produced. The 

 results obtained are summarized in 2 tables and a graph, whence the conclusions are reached 

 that even a molecular concentration of 0.000052 PO4"' is suiBcient to bring about a normal 

 development and alcohol formation while a concentration of 0.0104 mol. PO4"' gives the best 

 results. When alcohol formation is taken as a standard, it is found that greater concentrations 

 are not quite so favorable, while if the actual weight of dry yeast is considered, then growth 

 is a direct function of phosphate concentration within the limits studied. Experiments made 

 with compressed yeast and dipotassium phosphate in increasing concentrations, as also with 

 acetone yeast (zymin), gave results which the author considered confirmatory to the results 

 obtained with living yeast although quite irregular. — A. Bonazzi. 



1481. Grey, Egerton Charles. The enzymes of B. coli communis which are concerned 

 in the decomposition of glucose and mannitol. Part IV. — The fermentation of glucose in the 

 presence of formic acid. Proc. Roy. Soc. London B, 91: 294-305. 1920. — This organism 

 breaks glucose down into 3 groups of products: (1) Lactic acid; (2) acetic acid, alcohol, and 

 succinic acid; and (3) carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and fofmic acid. Production of lactic acid 

 is not correlated with that of the other groups, which are in turn, however, closely related. 

 This relation, due to the role of nascent hydrogen in forming alcohol, is here demonstrated 

 for the first time in vivo. The addition of formic acid as calcium formate greatly increases 

 the production of hydrogen and of carbon dioxide, instead of inhibiting their formation. — 

 Paul B. Sears. 



1482. Knudson, L., and R. S. Smith. Secretion of amylase by plant roots. Bot. Gaz. 

 68:460-466. 2 fig. 1919. — Neither Zea Mays nor Pisum arvense is capable of utilizing sol- 

 uble starch, nor was there found in any experiment an appreciable secretion of amylase by 

 the roots. — H. C. Cowles. 



1483. KoPELOFF, Nicholas, and Lillian Kopeloff. Factors determining the keeping 

 quality of cane sugar. Louisiana Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. 170. 63 p., 1 fig. 1920. — This is 

 practically a reprint of several articles appearing in different journals (see Bot. Absts. 4, Entry 

 1513; 5, Entries 920, 2202) with conclusions regarding the importance of certain species of 

 Penicillium and Aspergillus in the deterioration of sugar. — C. W. Edgerton. 



1484. Kopeloff, Nicholas, and H. Z. E. Perkins. The deterioration of Cuban raw 

 sugars in storage. Louisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer 64:413-415. 1920. — Cuban 

 raw sugars stored for 5| months in New Orleans deteriorated to a considerable extent. Dur- 

 ing the same period there was an increase in the number of microorganisms present. — C. W. 

 Edgerton. 



1485. Kopeloff, Nicholas, H. Z. E. Perkins, and C. J. Welcome. Further studies in 

 the deterioration of sugars in storage. Jour. Agric. Res. 20: 637-653. 1921. — Bags of Cuban 

 raw sugars of 10 different lots with moisture ratios varying from 0.18 to 0.5 were stored in a 

 large warehouse and were analyzed chemically and bacteriologically at the beginning of 

 storage and aftev 4 and 8 weeks respectively. There was a loss in polarization in most of the 

 sugars at the end of each period, and this was usually accompanied by a gain in reducing 

 sugars and in moisture content. From the data secured a correaltion is established between 

 deterioration and the niunber of microorganisms present and between deterioration and the 

 moisture ratio. [See Bot. Absts. 7, Entry 1343.] — D. Reddich. 



