RECENT WORK 1\ AiiRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 



Lectures on enzyins of bacteria, F. Fuhrmann {\'orlcsuii(/('ii iihrr Baktriicn- 

 enzymc. Jena, 1!)07, pu. VI 1 1+136, figs. 9, dgms. 5). — A summary aud discussion 

 iu lecture form of the bacterial enzyms with refereuce to i^roteid, fat, and car- 

 bohydrate cloava.se, fermentation, ghicosid cleavage, and related questions. 



The polypeptidphosphoric acids (paranucleic acids) of caseins, A. Keh 

 (Bciti: Chcm. Physiol, u. Path., 11 (PJ07), No. 1-2, pp. i-iS).— Pepsin digestion 

 products of casein treated with uranyl acetate yield a phosphorus-containing 

 complex of constant composition, which the author designates as polyi)eptidi)hos- 

 phoric acid or as a mixture of such acids. The ijossible constitution of the 

 substance, according to experimental data, is discussed, but definite conclusions 

 are not drawn. 



The tryptic digestion of egg albumin, 1'. A. Levenio aud W. A. Beatty 

 (Biochcin. Ztschr., J, (1907), No. .',-6, pp. 299-30.',).— As cleavage products of 

 egg albumin the author identified leucin, tryptophan, a single peptid with basic 

 properties, and a lysin-glycyl. 



The constituents of the essential oil of nutmeg, F. B. Power and A. H. 

 Salway {Jour. Chcm. .Soe. [London], 91 {1907), No. J'/J, //, pp. 2037-2008). — 

 The principal constituents isolated iu this study of the essential oil of nutmeg 

 were about 80 iier cent d-pinene and (Z-caniphene, about S per cent dipentene, 

 aud about 6 per cent of d-linalool, d-borneol, i-terpineol, and geraniol. A new 

 alcohol aud a new monocarboxylic acid were isolated iu small amounts. 



The investigation also showed "that the portion of nutmeg oil which has 

 hitherto been designated ' myristicol ' is a mixture of alcohols, of which ter- 

 pineol appears to be the predominating constituent." 



Contribution to the study of tannin, L. E. Cavazza {Contributo alio t>tU(lio 

 dci Tannini. Bologna, 1908, pp. 11). — A brief preliminary discussion of the 

 distribution and functions of tannin, method of extraction, new tannic com- 

 pounds, method of purification, typical formula of constitution, an example of 

 classification, differentiation of some tannins, and a microtechnic application of 

 vanadium in the chemical study of tannin. 



The determination of total nitrogen including nitrates in the presence of 

 chlorids, W. D. Kiciiardson {Jour. Aincr. Vlirin. l^oc, 30 {1908), No. 3, pp. '121, 

 ',22; ubs. hi Chcm. Zcntbl., 1908, I, No. 16, pp. 1573, iJ7.'/).— A method which 

 has been found satisfactory for determining total nitrogen, including nitrates, 

 in pickling solutions used for curing meats is described. The procedure is as 

 follows: "(1) Determine nitric nitrogen by the Schloesing- Wagner method; 

 (2) in another portion determine nitrogen excluding nitrates by adding to the 

 substance in the Kjeldahl flask 10 cc. more or less of saturated ferrous chlorid 

 solution and boiling with dilute sulphuric acid until nitrates are destroyed. 

 Then proceed with the determination of the remaining nitrogen by the Kjeldahl 

 1108 



