20 PHYSIOLOGY [Bot. Absts. 



by the work of Bottomley on the action of auximones on Azotobacler and their action on the 

 growth of decotiledonized seedlings grown in mineral solutions. The plant acts as inter- 

 mediary between the soil bacteria that produce auximones and the animal that utilizes them. 

 When animals are subjected to avitaminosis and die as a consequence of incomplete diet, they 

 are found to contain large numbers of Bacillus coli in the intestinal tract. This is taken by 

 the author as an indication that this organism is not capable of synthesizing vitamines, while 

 the work of Pacini and Russell on the Eberth bacillus is recalled to show the possibility of 

 such synthesis by bacteria grown in pure cultures in Uschinsky solution. The last considera- 

 tion leads the author to a hasty review of the question of aseptic life; considering the intesti- 

 nal flora as parasitic rather than symbiotic he points to the possibility that the bacteria found 

 in normal tissues of animals and in seed coats may be the true elaborators of "food acces- 

 sories." Thus the author discloses the close relation of the problem of vitamines to the subject 

 of general biology. — A . Bonazzi. 



METABOLISM (ENZYMES, FERMENTATION) 



134. Clute, VV. N. Vinegar bees. Amer. Bot. 25:2-4. 1919. — An association of Sac- 

 charomyces pyriformis and Bacterium vermiformc is widely distributed in the United States 

 under the name of "vinegar bees." A cupful of the "bees" in a weak saccharine solution 

 (2 tablespoonfuls of sugar to a quart of water) will produce vinegar in three days, the "bees" 

 doubling in amount meanwhile. Vinegar bees are known elsewhere as the "ginger bee 

 plant" and used to produce a foaming beverage with the addition of ginger root. The plant, 

 or plant association, is related to the "kephir grains" used to ferment milk in the Caucasus. 

 — W. N. Clute. 



135. Dowell, C. T. Cyanogenesis in Andropogon sorghum. Jour. Agi-ic. lies. 16: 175- 

 181. 1919. — In the process of drying sorghum there is a considerable loss of hydrocyanic acid, 

 but not all of it disappears. The slower the process of drying, the less the amount of hydro- 

 cyanic acid retained in the plant. The enzyme emulsin is still in active condition in sorghum 

 after drying. The addition of dextrose or maltose to sorghum prevents or holds back forma- 

 tion of hydrocyanic acid in macerated sorghum. This may be due to a reaction with hydro- 

 cyanic acid or to a lessening of the activity of emulsin. — L. Knudson. 



ORGANISM AS A WHOLE 



136. Beach, Walter Spurgeon. Biologic specialization in the genus Septoria. Amer 

 Jour. Bot. 6: 1-33. PL 1, 13 diagrams, 1 graph. 1919.— See Bot. Absts. 2, Entry 1283. 



137. Butler, O. The effect of environment on the loss of weight and germination of seed 

 potatoes during storage. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 11: 114-118. 1919. — -It was found that the 

 germination of potatoes can be retarded by lowering to 3.74°C. or by reducing the oxygen 

 supply. Germination was retarded more effectively at 9.31 °C. in reduced oxygen air than at 

 3.74°C. in free air. Loss of weight was greatly affected by the relative humidity of the air. — 

 J. J. Skinner. 



TOXIC AGENTS 



138. Fred. E. B. The effect of certain organic substances on seed germination. Soil 

 Sci. 6: 333-349. PI. 1-4. 1918.— See Bot. Absts. 2, Entry 1332. 



139. Hartwell, B. L., and F. R. Pember. Unlike effect of acid soils on plants due to 

 aluminum. Soil. Sci. 6: 259-279. PI. 1. 1919— See Bot. Absts. 2, Entries 1137; 1334. 



140. McHargue, J. S. Effect of certain compounds of barium and strontium on the growth 

 of plants. Jour. Agric. Res. 16: 183-194. PI. 24. 1919. — Cowpeas (Vigna sinensis), oats 

 (.4 vena sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and corn (Zea inais) were used in these experiments. 

 The plants were grown in one gallon, earthern jars in sand to which was added 10 grains cal- 



