826 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



making, geotroplc response, etc. The growth of plants watered with radio- 

 active water may be accelerated or retarded, the results varying not only with 

 the degree of radioactivity but also with the species of plant employed. When 

 pollen or ovules were exposed before pollination, or when exposure was made 

 after fertilization of the egg, plants growing from the resulting seeds were 

 found to vary profoundly from the parent plants. Whether these variations are 

 capable of transmission is yet to be determined. 



Composition of cocoanut water and presence of diastases in cocoanuts, 

 E. DE Kruijff {Bill. Dept. Agr. Iiidcs NcerUiiid., 1906, No. //, ;)/*. IS). — I-n the 

 course of a study to determine the industrial value of the so-called milk or water 

 of the cocoanut, the author Investigated its composition and also the occurrence 

 of diastases. It was found that the cocoanuts contained saccharose, which is 

 inverted during the maturity of the nut by a diastase secreted by the cells of the 

 endosperm. In addition to sucrose the author reports the presence of oxydase 

 and catalase, the two latter not being present in the immature fruit. The 

 haustorium was found to contain in addition to these diastases lipase, auiylase, 

 catalase, and peroxydase. 



The role of phenols, tannic acids, and oxybenzoic acids in cork formation, 

 E. Drabble and M. Xierf.nstein (Bio-Chem. Jour., 2 {1901), No. 3, pp. 96-102, 

 pi. 1). — According to the authors, it is generally believed that tannins and 

 other aromatic compounds play an important part in the lignification of wood 

 elements, and that when tannins, phenols, and oxybenzoic acids are treated 

 with formaldehyde and a little hydrochloric acid, condensation products are 

 precipitated. This suggests that in the formation of cork similar condensation 

 products probably play an important part. 



The authors made an examination of a number of living plants to trace the 

 clis,tribution of tannic acid, phenols, etc., in the stems, and in every case where 

 cork was found a coloration of the cells in the immediate vicinity was shown, 

 indicating the presence of gallic or tannic acid. In the plants which gave no 

 reaction no cork was present. 



The authors are led to attribute to tannic acids, phenols, gallic acid, and 

 other oxybenzoic acids an important role in the formation of cork. The pres- 

 ence of substances of this class was clearly shown wherever cork tissue was 

 found. The substances giving cork reactions are precipitated from tannic acids, 

 phenols, and oxybenzoic acids by means of formaldehyde in the presence of 

 various acids, and products having the same mother substance as these con- 

 densation products have been obtained from the cork itself. The authors be- 

 lieve that tannic and gallic acids and substances of this nature are acted upon 

 in the plant by formaldehyde and various acids and are precipitated on the 

 walls of the cork cells. 



Hydrocyanic acid glucosids and hydrocyanic acid in plants, A. Eich- 

 INGEB {PJianii. Ziy., 52 {1907), No. 15, pp. 1^6, l-T'). — A resume is given of 

 considerable of the literature relating to the occurrence in plants of glucosids 

 that under the influence of enzyms split up into hydrocyanic acid. The occur- 

 rence of these glucosids in a number of species of plants is mentioned, and the 

 localization, source, and function of hydrocyanic acid are discussed. 



On the poisons of Amanita phalloides, J. J. Abel and W. W. Ford {Jour. 

 Biol. Cliem., 2 {1901), No. h, pp. 273-2.SS).— It has been shown by one of the 

 authors that the poisons of the fungus Amaniia phaUoidr.s belong to the group 

 of bacterial toxins, and further that the principle described by Koliert under 

 the name of phallin as the only poison present is accompanied by a highly toxic 

 substance devoid of hfemolytic properties. The presence of this substance can 

 be demonstrated by biological experiments. 



The authors state that immunity can be established toward the two poisonous 



