326 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



The phenomena of phosphoric acid migration are more regular than those 

 described for nitrogen, while potash is said to behave essentially as does 

 nitrogen. 



The selective power of plants for dextrose and levulose, L. Lindet (BuL 

 Assoc. Chim. Sucr. ct Distill, 2S {I'Jll), No. 10, pp. 727-743; abs. in Compt. 

 Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 152 (1911), No. 12, pp. 775-777).— The author found 

 in previous experiments (E. S. R., 12, p. 113) that beet leaves when con- 

 stantly in contact with dextrose and levulose absorbed dextrose when respira- 

 tion was active and levulose when growth was rapid. He has recently extended 

 his experiments to include yeasts, aerobic fungi, and embryos of beans and 

 barley. 



With the yeast, dextrose was found to induce a much greater zymotic action 

 than did levulose. With the barley and bean embryos, dextrose was taken 

 up from the solution in the proportion of 1.7 to 1 of levulose. For the same 

 amount of each sugar taken up the weight of the plantlets was twice as great 

 for the levulose as for the dextrose. With the fungi, reproduction was in- 

 creased by levulose, and respiration by dextrose. 



All the experiments show, it is claimed, that the absorption of levulose from 

 cultures is attended with the functions of growth, while dextrose is associated 

 with the respiration. 



The action of ultraviolet rays on starch, L. Massol (Compt. Rend. Acad. 

 Sci. [Paris], 152 (1911), No. 13, pp. 902-i»0// ) .—According to the author, the 

 exposure of soluble starch, prepared by heating it for a considerable time, to 

 the light of a mercury-quartz lamp so changes the starch that it loses after a 

 while its property of becoming blue when acted upon by iodin. The rapidity 

 of the transformation increases as the concentration decreases and when the 

 medium has become acidified. This transformation, which is interesting from 

 the point of physiological botany, the author claims is due to the photochemic 

 action of the light and not to the influence of the acid, the temperature, or 

 oxygenated water. 



Recent investig-ations on the alleged utilization of atmospheric nitrogen 

 by certain special hairs of plants, F. Kovessi (Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. 

 [Paris], 152 (1911), No. 13, pp. 888-890). — In continuation of a previous com- 

 munication (E. S. R., 22. p. 230), the author reviews experiments to verify the 

 theory announced by Jamieson (E. S. R., 18, p. 125) and Zempleu and Roth 

 (E. S. R., 22, p. 521) relating to the acquisition of atmospheric nitrogen by 

 plants through special trichomes. He has made a study of a considerable 

 number of plants, growing them in air and in an atmosphere deprived of nitro- 

 gen, and has found nothing to change his previous opinion. On the contrary, 

 it was found that in the two lots of plants the hairs described were developed 

 equally and produced the same reactions when tested with the reagents 

 recommended. 



On the " air culture " of green plants, V. Artsikhovskii (Zhur. Opytn. 

 Agron. (Russ. Jour. E.rpt. Landw.), 11 (1911), No. 1, pp. Jf6-53, figs. 6).— As 

 the root tubercles of leguminous plants develop either very poorly or not at all 

 in water cultures, the author has devised a method of growing the plants in 

 air cultures. 



The roots were allowed to develop in a moist chamber composed of an 

 inverted flowerpot with its top plunged into water contained in a plate, and 

 the roots, which were above the water, were sprayed several times a day with 

 a nutrient solution. By such a device the author claims to have successfully 

 grown Pis urn sativum with an abundant development of root tubercles. 



The nuclear conditions in certain short-cycled rusts, E. W. Olive (Science, 

 n. ser., 33 (1911), No. S-'fO, p. 19^). — The author recognizes 2 general types of 



