204: EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



could not be further studied. The leaves and stems of the young plants of 

 Stachys tuberifera were found to contain stachydrin, which could be isolated 

 Aery easily and in a pure state. 



In addition to stachydrin, betonicin (C-H13XO3), a new base (which is pro- 

 visionally considered oxystachydrin by the authors) was isolated from the 

 leaves and stems of Betonica officinalis. Trigonellin and betonicin were obtained 

 from the leaves and stems during the blooming and ripening stage from S. 

 sylvalica. Salvia pratensis yielded cholin, but no stachydrin or other betaiu 

 could be found. Young leaves of Citrus auranUum yielded a much larger 

 amount of stachydrin than old leaA-es. 



The authors hold that betains are by-products of plant metabolism, which 

 no longer take part in the physiological processes of the plant. 



Some further contributions in regard to the occurrence of betains in the 

 plant kingdom, K. Yoshimuka and G. Tkier {Iloppc-Seijlcr's Ztsclir. Physiol. 

 Chem., 77 (1912), No. 4, pp. 290-302).— A continuation of the work noted above. 



It is shown that no betain is present in GlecJioma hederacea or Fagnra 

 xanthoxyioides, but cholin was noted in the former. Stachydrin was isolated 

 from the leaves and stems of Galenpsis grandiflora (in the optically inactive 

 form, which is the first time it has been noted), and in lemon peel, but not in 

 the leaves and stems of Ajuga rcptans and rosemary flowers. Cholin was 

 present in the latter 2 plants. Stachydrin and cholin were also detected in 

 the flowers of Chrysanthemum cincrariifolium, while trigonellin was detected in 

 the leaves and stems of Mirahilis jalapa. 



Micro-org'anisms and fermentation, A. Jorgensen {London, 1911, .}. ed. rev., 

 pp. Xl+.'i89, figs. 101). — This is the fourth revised English edition of this work, 

 which deals with the physiology of fermentation. Among the topics discussed 

 are the microscopical and physiological examination of material; biological 

 examination of air and water; the various sorts of bacteria, molds, and yeasts, 

 especially those of importance industrially; theories of fermentation; the 

 action of yeasts; and the pure culture of yeast on a large scale. 



Silage fermentation, W. M. Esten and C. J. Mason {Connecticut Storrs Sta. 

 Bui. 10, pp. JfO, figs. 3). — This investigation considers particularly the symbiotic 

 fermentation which occurs during the preparation of silage with a view of 

 determining the best conditions for preparing silage. 



From some tests made in experimental silos (2-qt. milk bottles filled tightly 

 with corn ground in a meat chopper and sealed), kept at temperatures of 40, 

 50, and 70° F., it appears that the latter temperature is the best one for pro- 

 ducing preservative qualities, while at 40° the most destructive fermentation 

 takes place. The temperature of 50° iavors the production of propionic and 

 butyric acids. 



"This experiment explains why silage does not keep as well in cement, stone, 

 or brick silos. The cement, stone, and brick conduct away the heat generated 

 in a silo and the acid fermentation is checked unless the temperature of the air 

 at siloing time is warmer than normal." Accoi-ding to this the appearance of 

 the silage is not always the complete criterion for judging the quality of silage. 

 Chemical and odor tests must be made in order to get a good idea of the quality. 



The acidity of silage (chiefly lactic and acetic acids) was found to be in 

 5 years' testing nearly always 1 per cent (SO being the molecular weight con- 

 sidered in the determinations) for the total weight of silage, although at times 

 it was over 2 per cent. The average is probably 1.5 per cent. In the mis- 

 cellaneous examinations of the silage juice it is shown that at least 7 distinct 

 varieties of yeast were present, all of which were facultative anaerobes. Among 

 13 colonies picked out from plates 10 were capable of fermenting dextrose, 

 3 fermenting dextrose and saccharose only, and 3 fermenting none of the 3 



