AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 427 



Gaseous exchanges and variation of sugars and glucosids during forma- 

 tion of anthocyanin in flowers of Cobaea scandens, E. Ros6 (Compt. Rend. 

 Acad. Sci. [Paris], 158 (1914), No. 13, pp. 955-958) .— Reporting a study of this 

 flower hi its four stages of development, the author states that in the corolla 

 of flowers kept in darkness the intensity of respiration reaches a maximum in 

 the bud stage, decreasing progressively thereafter. The ratio of carbon dioxid 

 given off to oxygen absorbed is nearly constant (lying between 96 and 99 per 

 cent) during floi'al development, the intensity thereof being less than that of the 

 reverse exchange in light during nearly the whole of this period, and the 

 two approximating equilibrium at floral maturity. Considerable oxygen is 

 taken in at all times by the i)etals in both white and colored flowers. Pig- 

 ments in colored petals showed a general relation to light intensity analogous 

 to that noted by Combes (E. S. R., 23, p. 528). In the first three stages (bud- 

 ding, greening, and reddening) the total amount of sugars increases, decreas- 

 ing, however, in the fourth (violet) stage, in which glucosids increase. It is 

 thought that anthocyanin is formed independently of the preexistence of glu- 

 cosids, but that the total amount of glucosids present in the petals is related 

 to the presence of anthocyanin therein. 



Researches on the physico-chemical properties of vegetable saps, II, J. A. 

 Harris and R. A. Gortneb {Biochem. Bui., 3 {1914), No. 10, pp. 196-201, pi. 1). — 

 In continuation of a previous paper (E. S. R., 28. p. 821), the authors give an 

 account of a study of the physico-chemical constants of the juice of apples 

 and pears of varying size and fertility. Comparisons are also made with the 

 fruit of Cercis and Staphylea. 



Summarizing their results, the authors state that in all four cases there is 

 a correlation between the size of the fruit ai-d the number of seeds which it 

 produces. It is thought probable that the relationship is a direct causal one 

 and that the size of the fruit is influenced by the number of seeds rather than 

 conversely. It has been considered that the development of the seed influences 

 the properties of the sap in the development of the fruit, but the authors were 

 unable to demonstrate any sensible differences in the osmotic pressure, mean 

 molecular weight, or electrical conductance of the saps of nearly ripe fruits of 

 different sizes or producing different numbers of seeds. 



A review of Willstatter's researches on chlorophyll, C. J. West (Biochem. 

 Bui., 3 (1914), No. 10, pp. 229-258) .—This is a review of a recent book entitled 

 Untersuchungen iiber Chlorophyll, by R. WillstJitter and A. Stoll, together with 

 numerous articles by Willstatter in other publications. 



Study of the constitution of plastids, in particular as regards the presence 

 of lipoids and the photosynthetic function of the chloroplasts, L. Buscalioni 

 (Bot. Jahrl). [Engler], 50 {1914), Sup., pp. 657-672).— Plants of about 150 species 

 representing different families were kept under controlled conditions for one 

 year and examined at intervals of about one month. 



It is stated, among other findings, that lipoids were present almost uni- 

 versally in the green plastids of the cells in case of the older leaves, much 

 less frequently in the younger ones. 



Reply to Kostytschew's articles on respiration of wheat seedlings, W. 

 Zaleski {Ber. Deut. Bot. Gesell., 32 {1914), No. 1, pp. 87-90).— This is a reply 

 to an article by Kostytschew and Scheloumoff and one by these authors and 

 Brilliant (E. S. R., 30, p. 522). 



The action of anodic and cathodic solutions on germination, H. Micheels 

 {Acad. Roy. Bclg., Bui. CI. Sci., 1913, No. 9-10, pp. 831-887, flfj. 1; abs. in Jour. 

 Chem. Soc. [London], 106 {1914), No. 616, I, p. 2.39).— Experiments are reported 

 on the germination of wheat in the anodic and cathodic compartments of an 

 electrolytic cell containing from 0.001 to 0.01 molecular concentration of sodium 



