43G EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Two (lays' exposure to liquid air did not destroy any of the seeds tested, nor 

 did it appreciably affect the ferments in any of the cereals. The dry diastase 

 of barley was found to bo able to withstand a range of temperature from —200° 

 to +130° C. 



Many seeds, including; all cereals, were found to give off appreciable quanti- 

 ties of carbou dioxid when stored in air-dried condition, but some showed no 

 signs of respiration whatever. The r<'spiration of air-dried wheat was found 

 especially pronounced. In practically every case respiration ceased when the 

 seeds had ber-ome moderately dried, although in the case of large seeds like 

 maize minute traces of carbon dioxid could be found for some time. 



The preservation of diastases in seeds destroyed by anesthetics, J. Apsit 

 and E. Cain (Compf. Jinul. Acnd. 8ci. \ Paris], I. ',9 {190',)), No. J, pp. ,58-60).— 

 The authors report that wheat, the germination of which had been destroyed by 

 sulphuric etlici'. still retained its amylase and jieroxidase. 



Differences of susceptibility of plants to stimulation, T. Takeuchi (Jour. 

 Col. Agr. Imp. Univ. Tokyo, 1 {1909), No. 2, pp. ,?07-2/0).— Experiments are de- 

 scribed in which spinach, peas, barley, and flax were grown in soil cultures 

 receiving 0.2 gm. of manganese sulphate in the form of a dilute solution. The 

 results obtained showed that the different species were not equally stinnilated 

 by manganese under the same conditions. The leguminous and cruciferous 

 plants seemed to be much more susceptible than were the grasses, barley being 

 the least stinnilated of the species investigated. 



The influence of ultraviolet rays on the vegetation of plants, L. Maquenne 

 and E. Demoussy iCompt. Rend. Acad. Hci. [I'nris], ]J,9 {1909), .Yo.s. 19, pp. 

 756-760; 22, pp. 9,57-961). — A review is given of some of the observations of the 

 different investigators relating to the effect of artificial light, and particularly 

 of electric light, on the growth of plants. 



The authors state that the action of the ultraviolet rays is for the most part 

 superficial, penetrating but little into the plant tissues. These rays destroy the 

 cells very siieeflily and the blackening of the leaves and other changes in the 

 color of the plants when exposed to the direct light of an arc lamp are due to 

 the predominance in that light of the ultraviolet rays. As a result of these rays 

 the protoplasm is destroyed. 



In a subsequent article the authors report investigations in which they sought 

 to explain the reasons for the blackening of green leaves. Their conclusions 

 confirm those noted above that the ultraviolet rays injure the epidermal cells of 

 the leaf, but the blackening of the leaves is not considered due to the specific 

 action of the light rays. A similar effect it was found could be produced by any- 

 thing that would destroy the protoplasm or cell contents, such as heat, chloro- 

 form, mechanical injury, etc. The blackening is held to be a result of diastatic 

 fiction, and brought about by the liberation of the diastase which in the normal 

 state is confined to certain distinct cells in the interior of the leaf. 



Sap pressure in the birch stem, H. E. Merwin and H. Lyon (Bot. Qaz.. f/S 

 (1909), No. 6, pp. .'i-'i2-.'i58, dgms. 5).— During the seasons of 1902 to 1904 

 sap pressure observations were made on several kinds of trees, birches and 

 maples illustrating the two extreme types of sap pressure phenomena. The 

 authors' observations on the maples are in accord with those previously de- 

 scribed from the Vermont Station (E. S. R.. 1.5. p. S.5.3). The observations on 

 the sap pressure of the birch stem are described at length. 



The influence of anesthetics and freezing on certain plants, E. Heckel 

 (Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. \Paris'\. 1 >,9 (1909), No. 20, pp. 829-831).— The effect 

 of freezing and various anesthetics on a number of plants that contain coumarin 

 is described. Among the plants are Anthoxanthum odorntiim, Liatris odora- 



