532 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Inspection and analyses of commercial fertilizers on sale in the State, 

 W. F. Hand et al. (Mississippi Sta. Vires. 25, pp. Jf-23; 26, pp. Ji-23) .—TheiiQ 

 circuliirs rei)ort the results of analyses of 181 samples of fertilizers examined 

 during the season of 1907-8. 



AGRICTJLTUKAL BOTANY. 



The theory of the respiration of plants, V. I. Palladin {Isv. Imp. Alcad. 

 Nauk. (Bui. Acad. Imp. .S'c/. St.-Petcrsb.). G. so:, 1009, pp. Jf59-Jf78, 519-5Jf6; 

 Biochem. Ztschr., 18 {1909), No. 1-2, pp. 151-206, figs. 2; abs. in Jour. Chem. 

 Soc. [London], 96 {1909), No. 560, II, pp. 511, 5J2).— After giving an exhaus- 

 tive discussion of previous work on aerobic .nud anaerobic respiration, the 

 author concludes as follows: 



" The first reactions of respiration are reactions of anaerobic decomposition, 

 brought about by enzyuis. These reactions ai'e similar to the reactions result- 

 ing from dry distillation, consisting of a series of successive reductions and 

 oxidations by means of combined oxygen in the network of organic substances. 

 Besides dextrose, other substances may afford material for anaerobic respira- 

 tion, which may proceed without formation of alcohol but with formation of 

 other compounds. Anaerobic respiration transforms stable constituents of the 

 plants which do not undergo direct oxidation into extremely unstable, readily 

 oxidizable substances. Alcohol is formed only during anaerobic respiration, 

 and not during normal respiration in air, intermediate substances wbich are 

 formed earlier than alcohol, and are hence more labile, themselves undergoing 

 oxidation. Aerobic plants are capable of living in media free from oxygen 

 without developing carbon dioxid. 



" Respiratory oxydases are ordinary pigment-forming enzyms, and are in- 

 capable of direct oxidation of the products of anaerobic decomposition which 

 are related to compounds of the aliphatic series. • The respiratory chromogens 

 are very widely distributed in plants; they are not oxidized directly by the 

 oxygen of the air, the presence of special oxydases being required for the 

 various chromogens. The respiratory pigments formed in plants usually un- 

 dergo immediate reduction to colorless chromogens, these chromogens being 

 related to aromatic compounds. Dextrose, as the initial product of the assimi- 

 lation of carbon, is the parent substance from wbich aromatic compounds are 

 formed in plants ... To compounds, in the form of which the chromogens 

 occur in a combinetl state in the tissues, the author gives the name pro- 

 chromogens." 



Notes on the day and night growth of plants, Nomblot-Bruneau {Jour. 

 Soc. Nat. Hort. France, 4. ser., 10 {1909), June, pp. .350-.352). — A summary ia 

 given of observations made on the rate of growth of scions of different varieties 

 of pears grafted on their own stock and on quinces. The shoots were measured 

 every morning and evening and the amount of growth made during the first 

 season is tabulated. 



It is shown that there is practically no difference between the amount of 

 growth taking place in the day and at night. The greatest development in 24 

 hours was produced during the period from May 31 to July 6. The period of 

 greatest growth was between June 26 and July 6, and the total period of active 

 growth covered 3 months. 



As a practical application of the observations, the author states that pinching 

 the buds retards the development from 10 to 15 days, and as a consequence 

 delays the ripening of the twigs. The active growth begins to slacken about 

 July 10 and the pinching should not take place after July 6. 



