AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY — AGROTECHNY. 803 



in the nodules of timothy hay, could not be noted by the author in a watery 

 extract of the hay. 



The production of acetic and formic acid by hydrolyzing substances con- 

 taining lignin, W. E. Ckoss (Ber. Deut. Chem. GeselL, IfS {1910), No. 8, pp. 

 1526-1528; abs. in Ztschr. Untersuch. Nahr. u. Genussmtl., 21 {1911), No. 11, 

 p. 679 ) . — By hydrolyzing jute, wood, or straw, etc., with a 1 per cent sulphuric- 

 acid solution at 110° C, evaporating the extract neutralized with calcium car- 

 bonate in a vacuum, and distilling in a stream of steam, from 1.2 to 2.8 per cent 

 of acids (acetic and formic) are obtained. From pine wood the proportions 

 were 4 parts of acetic to 1 part of formic acid. The acids did not originate from 

 the cellulose, and according to the author lignin is the probable source. 



" Sugar sand " from maple sap; a source of malic acid, W. H. Warren 

 {Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc, 33 {1911), No. 7, pp. 1205-1211) .—Maple sap from 

 Acer saccharum, when evaporated, deposits a variable quantity of the calcium 

 salt of malic acid, which goes under the name of either niter or sugar sand. 

 With care, from 16 to 25 lbs. of this substance can be obtained from about 1,000 

 trees per season. While this substance has already been examined by others 

 (E. S. R., 12, p. 78), the author points out that the results were obtained with 

 material which was not exactly typical. The analysis which follows is said to 

 represent within narrow limits the quantities of the several constituents which 

 this by-product may be expected to contain: Silica 7.74, phosphoric acid 0.05, 

 ferric oxid 0.39, calcium 17.16, magnesium 0.03, moisture 2.6, malic acid 51.48, 

 invert sugar 2.31, cane sugar 3.46. ether soluble matter 0.37, carbon dioxid 0.66, 

 extraneous organic matter 2.35. undetermined (by difference) 11.4 per cent. 



A method for obtaining malic acid is appended. 



In regard to the fixation of lactic acid by casein, W. Van Dam {Chem. 

 WeekbL, 7 {1910), No. J,9, pp. 1013-1019).— The author in this work determined 

 the variation in the hydrogen ion concentration of lactic acid caused by the 

 addition of casein. When a twentieth-normal solution of lactic acid was em- 

 ployed for varying quantities of casein at a temperature of 18° C, it was noted 

 that as long as an excess of hydrogen ions was present in the solution the 

 amount of lactic acid bound was constant. With very large quantities of 

 casein, however, this relation was destroyed, and the amount of acid bound was 

 very much less. 



Protective enzyms [in fruits], M. T. Cook et al. {Science, n. ser., 33 

 {1911), No. 851, pp. 62^-629). — In this preliminary paper the authors point out 

 " that there exists in the normal living fruit two enzyms, a catalase and an 

 oxidase. 



" The latter is probably most abundant in the early part of the season, 

 gradually decreasing in activity as the fruit approaches maturity and ripens. 

 Furthermore, from the results it appears that tannin as such does not exist 

 in any part of the normal, uninjured fruit previous to maturity, except pos- 

 sibly a small amount in the peel, but exists as a poly-atomic phenol, which 

 upon injury is acted upon by the oxidase and forms a tannin or tannin-like 

 body having the property of precipitating proteid matter, and at the same time 

 forming a germicidal fluid. This oxidase acts only in an acid solution and 

 when present in an amount above a certain undetermined minimum. The above 

 conditions are always present in normal immature pomaceous fruits. When 

 normal, immature fruits are subjected to injury by fungi, insects, or mechanical 

 agencies, the action of the oxidase on poly-atomic phenols is brought about with 

 the effects as stated above." 



Tests with the diastase of Aspergillus oryzae, F. MiJNTER {Landic. Jahrh., 

 39 {1910), Ergdnzungsb. 3, pp. 298-3U).— The results of this work show that 

 (1) alcohol and ether destroy the activity of this enzym ; (2) ammonium sul- 



