RECENT WORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY— AGROTECHNY. 



Physical chemistry and agriculture, C. Ulpiani {Atti Soc. Ital. Prog. Sci. 

 [Naples], 4 (1910), pp. 317-351, figs. J,; abs. in Chem. Ztg., 35 {1911), No. 103, 

 Repert., p. 430). — The importance of the phase rule, electrolytic dissociation, 

 colloidal condition, etc., for explaining some of the phenomena which occur in 

 the soil, as well as the action of certain fertilizers, is pointed out. 



Agricultural chemistry, F. Ivunkerfues (Monatsh Landir., .'/ (1911). No. 

 10, pp. 293-299). — This is a discussion of some of the newer findings in the 

 field of agricultural chemistry. 



Phytin and phosphoric acid esters of inosit, R. J. Andlrson (Neiv York 

 State ma. Tech. Bui. 19, pp. 3-16; Jour. Biol. Chem., 11 (1912), No. 5, pp. 411- 

 488). — Attempts to synthesize phytic acid and the hexaphosphoric-acid ester 

 of inosit resulted negatively. The compound obtained with the Contardi 

 method, or with a modification thereof, was the tetr a phosphoric ester of inosit. 

 It made very little difference whether the phosphoric acid was present in a small 

 or large excess (above 6 molecules of phosphoric acid to 1 molecule of inosit), 

 the same compound being produced. When present in a lesser amount than 6 

 molecules of acid to 1 of inosit a mixture of esters was obtained. The tetra- 

 phosphoric-acid ester of inosit, which is a new compound, could be easily 

 isolated by means of its barium salt, and is very similar in appearance and in 

 its behavior with reagents to phytic acid. When decomposed by heating with 

 an acid, phosphoric acid and inosit were regenerated. The inosit used in the 

 esterfications was prepared from a crude magnesium compound, which is men- 

 tioned below. Inosit was not so easily obtained as one is led to believe by 

 the work of Starkenstein. 



Several salts, tribarium phytate, C6Hi209[(P03H)2Ba]3. pentabarium phytate, 

 CeHnOs-PeBas, peutabarium ammonium phytate, CsH,2027PoBa5(NH4)2, penta- 

 magnesium ammonium phytate, C6Hi2027P6Mg5(NH4)2, and tetracupi-ic dicalcium 

 phytate, CcHi2027P6Cu4Ca2, were prepared in some instances " from commercial 

 phytin and from an organic-phosphorus magnesium compound by precipitating 

 with barium chlorid and barium hydroxid; others were prepared from pre- 

 viously purified phytic acid." Those obtained from neutral or alkaline solu- 

 tions have a general formula — C6H,202-P6M6. "The barium salt of phytic acid, 

 obtained from very dilute hydrochloric acid or 10 per cent phytic acid solu- 

 tions corresponds to the general formula — CalIis027P6M3." The constitution of 

 phytin therefoi'e still remains unsolved. 



Method for preparing tyrosin and glutaminic acid, and their quantitative 

 determination, E. Abdekhalden (Hoppe-Seyler's Ztsehr. Physiol. Chem., 77 

 (1912), No. 1, pp. 75, 76). — A quantitative method is described for preparing 

 tyrosin and glutaminic acid, which allows the use of the mother liquors for 

 isolating other amino acids which may be contained in them, as follows : The 

 protein, i. e., waste silk, etc.. is hydrolyzed by boiling for 6 hours with 3 times 

 its bulk of fuming hydrochloric acid (specific gravity 1.19). The hydrolysate 

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