8o BOTANICAL GAZETTE [January 



and in malt 2 .8-6 .0 per cent cane sugar. These results on Sudan 

 grass gave in each case less than 1 .0 per cent of cane sugar, figuring 

 the reducing sugar as cane sugar. 



Compared with other grasses 4 it is very similar to Sorghum 

 avenaccum, which gave the following results: ash 5.63, protein 

 3 .29, cellulose 36 .7, and fat 1 .67 per cent. Of the ash, 1 .5-3 .oper 

 cent was CaO, P 2 O s , MgO, and S0 3 . 



Catalase activity 

 In each case 0.2 gm. (dry weight) of the seed was used. The 

 results are given in cubic centimeters of oxygen set free in 10 minutes 

 at 20 C. 



Seeds at room temperature 

 Dry seeds 3 days 



Hulled seeds Unhulled seeds Unhulled seeds 



13-8 15.5 54.0 

 17.2 17.0 65. 2 

 68.2 



15.0 16.25 



62.4 



Seeds in refrigerator 31 days 

 Unhulled seeds Unhulled seeds 



45 -o 46.0 



50 . 8 50 . 6 



45 -6 500 



47.1 49.0 



The seeds which were grown in the refrigerator showed less 

 catalase activity; part of this lessened activity may be due to the 

 lowered temperature, but part of it undoubtedly was also due to the 

 fact that the seeds at room temperature had grown slightly more 

 than those in the refrigerator. 



Microchemistry 



A brief microchemical analysis was undertaken in order to 

 locate the materials in the tissue of the seed, as well as to get an 

 idea of how much was present (fig. i). 



Practically all of the cell walls gave the blue color reaction with 

 75 per cent H 2 S0 4 and iodine, except the two small regions of the 

 integument at each end of the caryopsis. With phloroglucin-HCT 

 a cherry red color was observed in the pericarp integument near 



♦ Wehmer, C, Die Pflanzenstoffe. Jena. 1911. 



