310 EXPERIMENT STATION KECOKD. 



and tlie other dextrorotatory. The name botonicin (E. ,S. R., 28, p. 312) is 

 retained for the former and turiein is the suggested designation for the latter. 

 Both must be regarded as betains of natural oxyprolins. 



Exhaustion methylation of oxyprolin ( [a]D= — 81.04*') yielded the same right 

 and left rotatory betains as occur in B. officinalis. According to the method 

 of isolation, sometimes one and sometimes the other isomer has been isolated, 

 but in reality, according to the authors, both of these betains are present in 

 the plant. 



A description of the proi)erties of betonicin and turiein follows. 



Synthesis of betonicin and turiein, A. KtJNG (Hoppe-Seyler's Ztschr. Physiol. 

 Chem., 85 {1913), Ko. 3, pp. 217-224). — The gamma-hydroxyprolin from gelatin, 

 prepared by Fischer's method, when methylated with potassium hydroxid in 

 methyl alcohol and methyl iodid yields hydroxyprolin betain. This is a mixture 

 of equal quantities of betonicin and turiein. 



Gentiobiose, G. Zempl^n {Hoppe-^cyler's Ztschr. Physiol. Chem., 85 (1913). 

 No. 5, pp. 399-407). — Octacetylgentiobiose, which has a high melting point, is 

 not rapidly soluble but crystallizes with ease in a pure state. 



These experiments show that acetylization may be conveniently employed 

 to obtain gentiol>iose from plant products, especially gentian root. Octo- 

 cetylgentiobiose, isolated from purified preparations, consisted of almost color- 

 less, silk-like, slender needles and these sintered at 186° C. and melted at 193°. 

 The optical rotation in chloroform at 20° was —5.3. 



Octacetylgentiobiose, prepared from .strongly contaminated materials (gen- 

 tian extract or aqueous alcoholic extract of gentian, sintered at 192° and 

 melted at 195°. It was easily soluble in chloroform, acetone, hot benzol, hot 

 acetone, and hot alcohol, slightly soluble in cold alcohol and ether, and almost 

 insoluble in petroleum ether and in hot water. It was more soluble in dilute 

 than in absolute alcohol. Its rotation at 20° was — 5.6. 



Free gentiobiose retluces 130 cc. of Fehling's solution per gram while maltose 

 I'equires 128.5 cc. and cellobiose 153 cc. The phenylosazone was in the shape 

 of lemon-yellow stellate needles and when obtained from hot water they were 

 short-pointed prisms. The melting point was between 160 and 170°. 



Enzyms in the leaves of Salix. caprea, I. Bolin (Hoppe-Seyler's Ztschr. 

 Physiol. Chem., 87 (1913), No. 3, pp. 182-187).— The possibility exists that the 

 leaves of Salix caprea contain at least three glucosid splitting enzyms, a sali- 

 case, an amygdalase, and a j3-glucosid-splittiug enzym. Salicase is considered 

 specific for salicin and is not active toward ^-methyl glucosid. The enzym which 

 acts upon |3-methyl glucosid was noted in the leaves in 1911 but not in those 

 from the same tree in 1912. 



The partial hydrolysis of cellulose, G. Zempl6x (Hoppe-Seyler's Ztschr. 

 Physiol. Chem., 85 (1913), No. 3, pp. 180-191).— By treating cellulose with 

 concentrated sulphuric acid, products were formed which did not contain cello- 

 biose complexes. Even when this treatment was prolonged, cellobiose acetate 

 was produced on acetolysis and not dextrose pentacetate. Xylan preparations 

 from locust wood, maiman from the seeds of Phytelephas macrocarpa, and 

 chitin when partl.v hydrolyzed gave unsatisfactory amorphous products. 



The fermentation of cellulose by thermophilic bacteria, H. Pringsheim 

 (Centbl. Bakt. [etc.], 2. AM., 38 (1913), No. 21-25, pp. 513-516, fig. i).— The 

 bacteria were obtained either from soil or manure. From 3 gm. of cellulose 

 0.2125 gm. of formic acid, 1.15 gm. of acetic acid, and a very small amount of 

 lactic acid were produced. The remainder of the material was converted into 

 hydrogen and carbon dioxld. 



Constituents of apples. C. Thomae (Jour. Prakt. Chem.. ii. sen, 87 (1913). 

 No. 3, pp. 142-144; ahs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 104 (1913), No. 605, I, 



