202 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.36 



or skatol from decomposition of the proteins seems also to be present in traces. 

 The fresh alga contains an aromatic compound soluble in petroleum spirit 

 which causes a characteristic odor. The spectra have been determined of vari- 

 ous coloring matters from the alga, a ' chlorophyll ' similar to that of the higher 

 plants, and a blue substance soluble in water and in glycerol, with an intense 

 red fluorescence, having properties which indicate that it is either associated 

 with and carried down by the proteins in solution or itself has similar precipita- 

 tion properties. This substance, which is believed to be new and may be allied 

 chemically to the chlorophyll of the alga, has been named ' algocyan.' " 



The principal carbohydrate found was a pectin-like substance, insoluble in 

 water, which on heating formed a jelly. It was slowly hydrolyzed by 5 per 

 cent sulphuric acid. On examination of the hydrolytic products the presence of 

 a nonreducing substance with a high positive rotation and a reducing sugar with 

 a smaller rotation was indicated. A small quantity of a phenyl hydrazin com- 

 pound, melting point 217° C, containing about 11 per cent of nitrogen was also 

 obtained, but could not be identified with any known compound. 



A modification of the Kjeldahl method for the determination of nitrogen, in 

 which as little as from 5 to 10 mg. of sample and containing 1 mg. or less of 

 nitrogen can be used, has been devised and is described in detail. A new form of 

 extraction apparatus suitable for a continuous extraction with large quantities 

 of material is also described. 



Barium, in tobacco and other plants, Bonnibel Aetis and H. L. Maxwell 

 {Chem. News, lU (1916), No. 2959, pp. 62, 65).— Using the method for the de- 

 termination of barium in plant materials essentially as described by McHargue 

 (E. S. R., 30, p. 502), the authors report the following percentages of barium 

 (as BaSOi) in the materials examined : Havana tobacco from Cuba, leaf 0.0608, 

 stem 0.076 ; broadleaf tobacco grown in Pennsylvania, leaf 0.0648, stem 0.078 ; 

 Havana tobacco grown in Connecticut, leaf 0.06, stem 0.072; Pennsylvania 

 tobacco, leaf 0.098, stem 0.128 ; Sumatra tobacco, leaf 0.0308, stem 0.0408 ; Wis- 

 consin tobacco, leaf 0.0192, stem 0.028 ; tobacco grown in New York, leaf 0.0132, 

 stem 0.504; dogAvood leaf 0.0224; cottonwood leaf 0.0052; cherry leaf 0.0392; 

 black-locust leaf 0.0324; mulberry leaf 0.0696; elm leaf 0.0356; linden leaf 

 0.0152 ; wild-olive leaf 0.0048 ; plum leaf 0.0372 ; box-elder leaf 0.036 ; hard-maple 

 leaf 0.0368; walnut leaf 0.0752; and pear leaf 0.0196. The following results 

 were obtained in the examination of immature leaves gathered in May soon after 

 their appearance: Soft maple 0.0273; wild grape 0.0941; wild cherry 0.0336; 

 box elder 0.0295; cottonwood 0.0528; lime 0.0435; cherry 0.0134; elderberry 

 0.0143 ; black walnut 0.0096 ; sumac 0.0071 ; elm 0.0182 ; and blackberry 0.0086. 



The percentage of ash in the tobaccos analyzed is also reported. 



The sjmthesis of a new tripeptid, glycocyamilglycylglycin (guanidoglycyl- 

 glycylglycin), A. Clementi [Atti R. Accad. Lincei, Rend. CI. Set. Fis., Mat. e 

 Nat., 5. ser., 25 {1916), I, No. 12, pp. 806-811).— The author describes the prepa- 

 ration of the new tripeptid from diglycylglycin and cyanamid. 



The isomeric pentacetates of glucosamin and of chondrosamin, C. S. Hud- 

 son and J. K. Dale (Jmir. Amer. Chem. Sac., 38 (1916), No. 7, pp. U31-U36). 



The optical rotatory powers of some acetylated derivatives of maltose, 

 cellose, and lactose, C. S. Hudson and R. Sayre (Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc, 38 

 (1916), No. 9, pp. 1867-1873). 



An automatic pipette, A. Lowy (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 8 (1916), 

 No. 8, pp. 73Jf, 735, figs. 3). — An automatic stopcock pipette is described in detail. 

 Advantages claimed for it are that an exact measured volume of liquid drawn 

 into the pipette can be controlled automatically by the operator ; that the neces- 

 sity of adjusting, maintaining, and manipulating the exact volume of the liquid 



