978 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The ether extract of plants consists mainly of fat and chlorophyll. 

 In alfalfa chlorophyll very largely predominates. 



"It may be more than mere coincidence that the average relative amount of 

 chlorophyll in the leaves varies with the total dry matter produced. No such con- 

 stant variation exists in the stalks or whole plant. A comparison of the total 

 amounts of chlorophyll in the plant and its parts does not show any definite rela- 

 tions to the dry matter produced; it appears that the percentage, or relative force, 

 maintained throughout the growing period, determines the amount of dry matter a 

 crop can produce. If this relation should be proved to hold in all cases, the maxi- 

 mum yield of dry matter would be known when the average amount of chlorophyll 

 in the leaves had been determined." 



The residues from the ether extraction were treated successively 

 with 95 per cent alcohol for 2 hours, and with water for 24 hours, with 

 frequent agitation. The results follow: 



Alcohol and water extracts of alfafa. 



Alcohol extract : 

 Whole plant 



Leaves 



Stalks 



Water extract : 

 Whole plant 



Leaves 



Stalks 



First crop. 



Early 

 period. 



Percent. 



16.02 

 14.98 

 18.48 



21.93 

 23.44 

 19.42 



Flower- 

 ing 

 period. 



Percent. 

 12.04 

 13.83 

 10.94 



17.64 

 26.17 

 12. 36 



Late 

 period. 



Per cent. 



7.43 



13.07 



5.99 



11.34 

 21. 15 

 8.43 



Second crop. 



Flower- 

 ing 



period. 



Per cent. 

 9.91 



12.87 

 7.68 



18.45 

 29.07 

 10.43 



Late 

 period. 



Percent 

 9.26 

 13. 72 

 6.70 



15.61 



29.17 



7.90 



Third 

 crop. 



Percent. 

 13.80 

 16.59 

 10.80 



17.66 

 23.32 

 11.38 



The alcohol extract, according to the authors, consists of resins not 

 dissolved by ether, tannins and their derivatives if present in the plant, 

 alkaloids, glucosids, some proteid bodies, amido compounds and glu- 

 coses, and saccharoses if present. 



Water would extract from the residue from the extraction by alcohol, 

 "in addition to a number of rare substances, the soluble carbohydrates, 

 such as dextrin and other mucilaginous bodies, the soluble albuminoids 

 and the legumius, some amids insoluble in alcohol, and most of the 

 organic and inorganic acids that may be present." 



The bearing of this matter on the concentration of plant juice is 

 discussed in some detail. 



The residues from the above extractions were treated with 2 per cent 

 hydrochloric acid under a reflux condenser for 1 hour, and then with 1£ 

 per cent sodium hydrate at boiling for A hour. The residue from this 

 last extraction was dried, weighed, and incinerated, the loss in inciner- 

 ating being taken as fiber. The alkali extract was determined by 



