526 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



monly met with in green plants, as well as their potassium salts, are absorbed 

 by the root system of the radish and are assimilated ; also that these acids are 

 more nutritive than their acid potassium salts, and that these salts exceed in 

 this respect the corresponding neutral salts. 



The formation of saccharose in sugar beets, F. Strohmee, H. Beiem, and 

 O. Fallada (Osterr. TJngar. Ztschr. Zuckerindus. u. Landtv., 40 {1911), No. 6, 

 pp. 857-866). — The authors investigated sugar beets at the time of flowering 

 and on ripening of seeds in regard to sugar content, etc., reaching the conclu- 

 sion that sugar beets of the second year's growth are able to form sugar for 

 storing purposes in their assimilating organs, not only in the stems but also in 

 the roots. 



A bibliography is appended. 



The role of catalase in plants, W. Zaleski and Anna Rosenberg (Biochem. 

 Ztschr'., 33 (1911), No. 1-3, pp. 1-15; ahs. in Bot. Genthl., 119 {1912), No. 17, 

 p. 43I). — The authors report, as the result of their investigations, that the 

 activity of catalase is considerably weakened by its extra,ction with ether or 

 with ethyl or methyl alcohols, also in varying degi'ees by use of several other 

 substances named. They seem to hold to the view that a relation exists between 

 the activity of catalase and that of the oxidation process. 



Comparison of the total nitrogen and nitric nitrogen in parasitic and 

 saprophytic plants, L. Lutz {Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], loJf (1912), 

 No. 19, pp. 12.'/7-12ff9 ; Bui. Soc. Bot. France, 59 (1912), No. 4-5, pp. 370-373).— 

 Studies were made of a number of phanerogamic absolute parasites, hemipara- 

 sites, and saprophytes with and without chlorophyll to determine the nitric 

 nitrogen and total nitrogen which they contain. 



As a result of the studies the author claims that absolute parasites, partic- 

 ularly those containing chlorophyll, are in general poorer in total nitrogen 

 than the hemiparasites whose roots are in soil from which they can obtain 

 nutritive material. The diiferences in nitric nitrogen are less marked. In gen- 

 eral, plants containing chlorophyll are lower in nitric nitrogen as the percentage 

 of total nitrogen increases, while with plants not containing chlorophyll the con- 

 trary was observed. The author claims that the figures presented indicate the 

 important action of chlorophyll on the accumulation and assimilation of nitro- 

 gen by parasitic plants. 



The relation of some fungi to organic acids, R. O. Herzog, O. Ripke, and 

 O. Saladin (Hoirpe-Seylcr's Ztschr. Physiol. Chem., 73 (1911), No. 3-4, pp. 

 284-307, figs. 3; abs. in Jour. Chcni. Soc. [London], 100 (1911), No. 588, II, p. 

 915). — In a series of papers by these authors accounts are given of the behavior 

 of a number of mold fungi as affected by various organic acids. The fungi were 

 cultivated in Uschlnsky's nutrient medium, to which the different acids were 

 added in amounts varying from 0.5 to 3 per cent. 



When the molds were grown in these solutions for 6 weeks, they caused from 

 30 to 95 per cent of the acid to disappear, the different species of fungi trans- 

 forming the acids in different amounts. Mycelium killed with acetone and 

 ether and kept under water through which air was passed developed more car- 

 bon dioxid in the presence of acids, the acids being used up in the process. 



In the second paper experiments with Mycoderma cervisioe are reported. 

 This fungus killed by acetone and kept in solution of acetic or lactic acids 

 caused a disappearance of the acid, which was not oxidized. Mandelic acid 

 behaved in a similar manner, being chemically changed. Living fungi gave simi- 

 lar results with acids. 



In the last paper the effect of amino acids on PeniciUium glaucum is de- 

 scribed, in which it is shown that the addition of leucin to a culture of the 

 mycelium of the fungus caused a definite increase in the daily production of 



