AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 27 



pound may be upou the earliest {growth of the plants. Lupiue seedlings were 

 germinated and afterwards allowed to grow iu nutrient solutions, some of 

 which contained a phytin compound. 



The results seemed to indicate that the several phytates behave in the same 

 manner as the corresponding orthophosphates. There was no suggestion of any 

 specific influence of the phytic anion upon the seedlings. The phytin solutions 

 iu which the seedlings had been grown showecf no increase in inorganic phos- 

 phorus or inosit, and there was, therefore, uo evidence that the phytase of the 

 seed acted upon the phytin in the .surrounding liquid. 



The action of sulphur on plants, E. Boullangeb (Compt. Rend. Acad. Set. 

 [Paris], IG't (1912), No. 6, pp. 3G9, 310). — In the course of some experiments on 

 catalytic fertilizers, a series was carried on with carrots, beans, celery, lettuce, 

 chicory, potatoes, onions, etc., in which 70 gm. of sulphur was added to 30 kg 

 of soil. The influence of the sulphur was apparent iu every case and in some 

 very conspicuous, exerting a favorable action on the growth of the plants and 

 notably Increasing the yield. Another series of experiments with sulphur used 

 in connection with sterilized and nonsterilized soil showed that the action of 

 the sulphur was quite pronounced with ordinary soil but had a very feeble 

 effect with the soil that had been sterilizcHl. 



From this it is believed that sulphur does not act directly upon the bacterial 

 flora of the soil nor assist materially in the development of certain organisms. 

 Its exact action is to be investigated further. 



The effect of ether and carbon bisulphid on plants, A. Kocii (Cenlbl. Dakt. 

 [etc.], 2. Alt., 31 {1011), Xo. 5-10, pp. 175-185; aba. in Jour. Clictn. Soc. [Lon- 

 don], 100 {1911), No. 590, II, p. 112Ji). — Experiments are reported on the 

 growth of buckwheat and mustard in soils that had been treated with ether 

 and carbon bisulphid in varying quantities. Two crops were grown in each 

 pot, one inuniHllatoly following the application of the ether and the other seeded 

 after the first crop had been removed. 



A greater total yield as well as a higher amount of combincnl nitrogen was 

 always found in the plants inime<liately following the application of the ether. 

 The second crop, whether it was mustard or buckwheat, was less in yield and 

 combined nitrogen than the first, and in some cases less than the check pots. 



The investigations seem to show that the activity of the ether and carbon 

 bisulphid is exerted in stimulating the development of the plant and that the 

 increased yields were due to this fact and not to the iufluence of the substances 

 on the nitrifying and denitrifying organisms. 



Experiments with yeasts showed that fermentation was favored by a small 

 amount of ether. Carbon bisulphid gave negative results, while it appeared to 

 delay acid formation in the fermenting mash. 



The effect of guanidin on plants under different conditions, O. Schreiner 

 and J. J. Skinner {Ahs. in Science, n. ser., 35 {1912), No. 897, p. 391).— The 

 effect of 50 parts per million of guanidin, which has been generally considered 

 harmful to plants, was tested on w^heat seedlings in solution cultures and in 

 soils. 



Its toxicity did not show until the fifth or sixth day, when spots appeared 

 on the leaves, but soon the plant was completely affected, falling over by the 

 end of the second week. The effect of nitrates in the cultures was especially 

 striking in that the harmful effect first showed itself in the cultures highest in 

 nitrates and spread gradually to those lower in nitrates, frequently not appear- 

 ing at all in those cultures which contained phosphate and potash but no 

 nitrate. This seems to be an instance of a harmful nitrogenous constituent, 

 accentuated by nitrates. 



