48 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [januayr 



Early during the process of after-ripening there was a slight 

 decrease in the fat content of the endosperm cells surrounding the 

 embryo. The most rapid disappearance of fat occurred in the 

 hypocotyl end of the endosperm at approximately the ninety-fifth 

 .day. This rapid decrease of fat was accompanied by an increase 

 in the sugar content of the adjoining hypocotyl cells. This was the 

 first noticeable increase of sugar during after-ripening. At this time 

 the coat splits open, probably partly due to the increased osmotic 

 pressure of the newly synthesized sugar. With these changes the 

 first detectable starch was found. It increased very rapidly in 

 these cells, until they seemed to be completely packed. Traces of 

 starch appeared in the cotyledons and they soon became green, a 

 point to be taken up later. Thus during the preparation for 

 germination the stored fat was transformed into carbohydrates. 

 Not all the fat is changed directly into carbohydrates. Under 

 certain conditions it seems to be changed into forms more capable 

 of translocation and used to synthesize other compounds, or even 

 stored again. It seems that a large part of the food material of 

 these seeds during after-ripening, germination, and the develop- 

 ment of the seedling is translocated in this form. 



Amino acids appear in both ungerminated (dry) and germi- 

 nated seeds. Table XIV gives the amino acids found in these 

 feeds, as well as a rough estimate of their quantities. The his- 

 tidine in the endosperm was used up completely during the after- 

 ripening. 



Table XV gives the changes occurring in the proteins of Juni- 

 perus seeds during germination as indicated by color reaction. 

 These results show that soluble proteins increased during after- 

 ripening. It was also shown that the proteins were hydrolyzed dur- 

 ing after-ripening by the determination of amino nitrogen and the 

 formal titration. Table XVI gives the results of the Van Slyke 

 determination for amino acids. This table shows that the 5 minute 

 reaction period was too short, which indicates the presence of amino 

 acids with other than a-amino groups. The arginine found would 

 account for the increase under 30 minutes reaction. These figures 

 prove that there was a marked hydrolysis of the proteins during 

 after-ripening, as well as during germination and the development of 



