728 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



as the increase in the amount of nitrogen, was determined, and in addition 

 measurements were made of the plunuiles and rootlets. The forms of nitrogen 

 emplo.ved were asparagin, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, leucin, phenylalanin, 

 eholin, betain, allantoin, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, tyrosin, and the 

 unclassified nitrogenous .substances occurring in malt, which are mainly malt 

 peptones and malt albumoses. 



The solutions containing ammonium sulphate, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, 

 potassium nitrate, and asparagin showed jn-ogressive increases in their power 

 to contribute nitrogen to the plant, culminating in asparagin. Asparagin ap- 

 pears to be the most profital)le nutrient among the sources of nitrogen, just as 

 cane sugar is among the carbohydrates. 



The root development of the plantlets in water cultures was much shorter 

 than where the plants were grown under more normal conditions, while the 

 average length of the iilumule was not affected to so great an extent. 



The migration of nitrogen from the endosperm to the embryo during the 

 limited germination occurring during the malting process {Trans. Ouinness 

 Research Lah., 1 (1906), pt. 2, pp. 2SJf-287). — Studies were made to determine 

 the transfer of nitrogen from the endosperm to the embryo during the germina- 

 tion occurring in malting barley. 



Several varieties of barley were studied, and it was found that about 35 per 

 cent of the endosperm nitrogen passed into the growing embryos during the 

 9 or 10 days' germination on the malting floors. It appears from the 

 investigations that the iiermanently soluble nitrogen of malt is about double 

 that of the corresponding amount of barley and that the insoluble i>roteids of 

 the endosperm are metabolized during the malting process and brought into a 

 condition in which they can be transferred to the embi-yo. 



Becent investigations concerning root hairs and their secretions, F. 

 ScHLEiCHERT (X at 11 r IV. Wchiischr., 22 {1901), No. 6, pp. 91-94). — A summai-y 

 is given of recent publications i-elating to the morphology and biology of root 

 hairs, the influence of the medium on their development, the chemical nature 

 of the root-hair secretions, and the acid secretions of root hairs, fungi, etc. 



A stimulus to the production of cellulose and starch, J. B. Dandeno {Rpt. 

 Mich. Acad. ScL, 8 (1906), pp. J/O-Ji-'t). — A study is reported on the effect of 

 black rot of apples (Spha^ropsis malorum) on the production of cellulose in the 

 cell walls of the apple in the course of the decomposition of the fruit. 



It appears that cellulose and starch are developed by the fungus S. malorum 

 directly in the cells of the ripe apple long after its detachment from the tree. 

 The development of the cellulose seems to be an adaptation of advantage to 

 the fungus in enabling it to tide itself over unfavorable conditions. The apple 

 is in a state of preservation after the fungus has acted upon it for some time, 

 the ebony-like mummies being less subject to attacks of other fungi. The pro- 

 duction of cellulose is the result of a stimulus upon the cell content induced 

 by the fungus. 



A botanical and a chemical study of tannins, .1. Dekker (BiiI. KoIoii. Mks. 

 Haarlem, 1906, No. S5, pp. 221). — This publication, which is part 1 of a proposed 

 botanical and chemical monograph of the tannins, contains an extensive bibli- 

 ography of the subject, ari-anged in chronological order, and treats of the botany 

 and physiology of tannins. The distribution of tannins throughout the plant 

 kingdom is traced, the different species known to yield tannins being mentioned 

 and notes given on their geographical distribution. Under the physiological 

 studies the author treats of the occurrence of tannins in the plant and gives 

 an account of tlieir physiological significance. 



The formation of hydrocyanic acid in plants, W. I{. Dunstan and T. A. 



