AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 229 



electrical stimulation. This was found to be quite constant where the strength 

 of the current was not too great. 



Similar results were obtained with milk, and where static electricity was 

 used a positive charge was found to favor the development of bacteria to a 

 very considerable extent. Where heavy charges were used the number of 

 organisms decreased very decidedly, but feeble electrical currents and small 

 static charges acted as stimuli to bacteria in milk, increasing their number 

 perceptibly. In this connec-tion it is stated that conditions during thunder- 

 storms may accelerate bacterial action by electrical stimulation and thus in- 

 crease the number of bacteria and incidentally hasten souring. 



As a result of all the experiments in the growiug of plants, it was found that 

 when currents of 0.1 to O.G milliampere were used all forms of plant life were 

 stimulated. 



The stimulating effect of weak currents on yeast is shown in the increased 

 amount of carbon dioxid given off by the yeast. 



The effect of various colored lights on carbon dioxid assimilation, H. 

 Kniep and F. Minder (Ztschr. Bot., I {1D09), No. 10, pp. 619-650, fig. 1).— 

 Studies were made with Elodea canadensis to determine the effect of different 

 colored lights on carbon dioxid assimilation. The usual claim that it is the 

 red rays which are principally concerned in increasing assimilation was found 

 to be only partially true. Other rays of the spectrum that have short wave 

 lengths were found lo stimulate assimilation to a marked degree. 



Preliminary observations on the transpiration current in submerged 

 water plants, D. Thoday and M. G. Sykes {Ann. Bot. [London], 23 (1909), 

 No. 92, pp. 6S5-637). — On account of the possible bearing of the subject on the 

 explanation of the ascent of water in tall trees, the authors have made an 

 investigation of the transpiration current in submerged plants, studying vari- 

 ous species of Potamogeton and other aquatics. The results showed that there 

 was a decidedly rai)id movement of water in detached rootless stems of P. 

 luccns and that this current was largely dependent on the leaves. 



Investigations of the beans of Phaseolus vulgaris at different stages of 

 growth, U. Pfenningeu Uirr. Dent. Bot. (Icsell., 21 [191)9), No. 5, pp. 227-23Ji; 

 aJ)S. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 96 (1909), No. 562, II, p. 696).— The author 

 has established the translocation of various nitrogenous compounds from the 

 pod to the seed, his experiments showing that the decrease of nitrogenous sub- 

 stance in the pod is accompanied by an increase in the seed. 



In the early stages of development 1.41 per cent of nitrogen was found present 

 in the pods as protein and 1.65 as nonprotein. In the final stages the total 

 nitrogen was O.SS per cent, of which 0.S7 per cent was protein. The total 

 nitrogen in the seeds was 5 per cent in the first stages, 3.59 per cent being 

 protein and 1.41 per cent nonprotein. In the final stage the total nitrogen was 

 4.23 per cent, of which 4.01 per cent was protein. When the seed was fully 

 ripe it was found to contain more nonprotein nitrogen than in the earlier stages 

 of development. 



The concentration of asparagin in different portions of seedlings of Vicia 

 faba, Lydia Kkestovnikova ilzv. MoKkov. tivlsk. Khoz. Inst. (Ann. Inst. Agron. 

 Moscou), 15 {1909), No. 2, pp. 2J.5-^37).— Previous experiments of Prianish- 

 nikov have shown that the concentration of asparagin becomes greater in the 

 seedling than in the cotyledon as the growth of the plant is developed. The 

 present investigation was undertaken with the object of determining whether 

 the concentration of asparagin is the same in the upper and lower portions of 

 the seedlings. Beans were germinated in sand and transferred to a netting 

 placed over distilled water and the cultures maintained for 14 days. After this 

 time the cotyledons and radicles were separated from the rest of the plant and 

 the asparagin content of the upper and lower portions of the stems determined. 



