65 



in distilled water and exposed to tbe siiidiglit during tlie day. On anal- 

 ysis it was found that the leaves exposed to the sunlight during the 

 d.ay contained more nitrogen than those dried as soon as gathered. 

 Since the cut leaves had no connection with the plant, the increased 

 nitrogen must have been derived through otiier means than the roots. 



A dillt'erence was also noticed in the percentage of asparagin in the 

 water-free leaves of red clover gathered in the morning and in the 

 evening : 



Evening, June 9 per cent aHi>ar:ij^in.. 0.'.»7;} 



Morning, June 10 " " " 0.277 



The authors believe these results merit the conclusion that green 

 fodders, as red clover for instance, should be cut in the eveiiing soon 

 after sundown to secure the greatest food value, and that likewise the 

 food value of pasturage is greatest at this time, especially if the day 

 has been bright and warm. 



Relation of climatic conditions to the formation of nicotine in tobacco. Adolf 

 Mayer [Ldiidic. Vers. Stat, 38, j)^>. 4a3-4G7).— In exi)erinients recently 

 l)nl)lishcd the author pointed out the influence of fertilizing materials 

 on the ([uality of tobacco, and showed with reference to nicotine that 

 its formation in the plant was favored by a heavy application of easily 

 available nitrogenous materials, and that a high percentage of nicotine 

 was in no instance observed where the supply of i)lant food was defi- 

 cient (see Landw. Vers. IStat., 38, j). 92, or Experiment Station Hecord, 

 vol. II, p. 457). 



The author calls attention to the well-known fact that young plants 

 and the younger parts of the plant in general contain a comparatively' 

 small amount of nicotine ; also that plants which are not topped (seed 

 plants) are coniparatively poor in nicotine. 



To further study the conditions of growth fiworable to the develop- 

 ment of this alkaloid, experiments were made in 18JH) with reference to 

 the influence of light, heat, soil water, and the humidity of the atmos- 

 phere. The author states at the outset that the ellects of individuality 

 on the formation of nicotine in tobacco are quite strong. To study the 

 effects of temperature, plants treated otherwise the same, were grown in 

 different cases out of doors, in a greenhouse with southern exposure, 

 and from seed sown late in the season, so tliat the plant developed at 

 a relatively low temperature. As the days were shorter the plants of 

 the last series naturally received less light than the others. The first 

 two series were harvested August 18 to 20 ; the last, November 11. The 

 average amount of dry matter contained in the leaves per plant and 

 the average percentage of nicotine are given for the different conditions 

 as follows : 



Dry 

 matter. 



I Nicotine. 



I Grams. Per cent. 



Grown at low temperature (planted Lite) , 2J. 5 2.1 



Grown at medium temperature (in open air) j 30.9 3.0 



Grown at bigh temperature (in greenboase) i 32.5 4.1 



