FIELD CKOPS. 925 



nit cssi'iitial oil \v:is iircscnt. mul (lie stoiiis contained relatively little, while it 

 was ubiiiidaiit in the leav(>s. Later, after the jteriod of flowerins;, it appeared 

 in the roots, where its relative pro])()rtl()n was considerably inereased with the 

 af;e of the itlaiit. 



Vicianin, a new cyanogenetic glucosid occurring in the seed of vetches, 

 (!. Bektranu (Bid. ,S(i<: Cliiin. France, .'/. scr., l-.i (1907), A o. J. jip. I'lt-l.'j'i). — 

 An account is given of the isolation of a new glucosid, vicianin, which yields 

 hydrocyanic acid under the action of a ferment. The glucosid occurs in the 

 seed of ]'icia aiKjiislifofid. The s:iin])le analyzed contained 0.75 gni. of hydro- 

 cyanic acid ])er kilogram of seed. 



The detection of formaldehyde in plants, G. Pollacci (Atti li. Accad. 

 Liiicri. h'linl. CI. .sri. I'is.. Mill, c XiiL. ,',. .srr., JG (1907), A'o. 3, pp. 199-205).— 

 'I'he author describes various methods for the determination of the occurrence 

 of formaldehyde in plants and discusses its formation and function. 



The relation of extractive to protein phosphorus in Aspergillus niger, 

 W. Ko(H and II. S. Ki:i:n {.four, lilol. (liciii.. 3 {1907). Ao. /, pji. 'i9-'>')- — ''"li*' 

 authors report a series of experiments with 1. iiiijcr to demonstrate a cliange 

 in the relative proportion of protein phosphorus to extractive phosphorus. This 

 mold was selected as it is known to grow relatively well with small amounts of 

 phosphates, while higher plants would be stunted in their development. The 

 growth w;is made on the usual culture media to wliich various percentages of 

 l)hosphorus in different tonus were added. 



It was found that nucleiu phosphorus is the most important form of phos- 

 l>horus at the (lispos:i! of the cell. It is produced at the expense of other forms, 

 except lecithin, and is not decreased even in extreme starvation. Lecithin 

 phosphoi'us is next in order of iniitortance. but it is thought that it probably 

 talci's no ](art in the building up of the nucleins. The extractive or water- 

 .soluble forms of phosphorus are believed to be the ones from w-hich the others 

 are built u]). and they represent the intermediary steps between the phosphates 

 and the more complex combinations of phosphoric acid. 



Investigations on the respiration of flowers, A. AIaige (Rev. Gen. Bot., 19 

 (19(17). .\<i. .il7. jip. S-2S). — The author rei)orts experiments on a considerable 

 number of tiowers to determine th(>ir respiration in relation to the stage of their 

 development. In the experiments individual flowers were tested in some cases, 

 while in others clusters of tiowers wi're taken. 



It was found that for most plants the intensity of resi)irati(m of the Howers 

 decreased regularly fi-oni the youngest stages of the bud to the full opening of 

 file Mower. The rapidity of this decrease varied with the different species, and 

 all sorts of intermediate forms were observed between maximum respiration in 

 the small (lowering buds and the maximum in the cas(> of the oi>en flowers. In 

 a small number of species the intensity of respiration was found to increase 

 with the stage of development of the flower, attaining a maximum upon the 

 expansiim of the flower. The respiration of individual tiowers nearly always 

 showed an increase from tho yoiuiger stages to the opening of the flower. For 

 most of the species investigated the dry weight was found to decrease in a 

 similar manner with the develoi)meut of the flowers, and the ra.nidit.v of this 

 decrease varied with the different species tmder observation. 



FIELD CROPS. 



Results of cooperative tests of varieties of corn, wheat, oats, soy beans, 

 and cowpeas, A. T. Wiaxcko (Indiaiin Hta. Bill. 117. pp. 367-39.'i, map 1). — 

 This bulletin contains a sumniiirv of the results of tests with leading varieties 



