BOTANY. 669 



The water content varied with the different periods, and was greater 

 at night than in the day. The ash content increased toward the end, 

 as shown by a second series of experiments. 



In 1895 simihvr experiments were conducted, the material being col- 

 lected at biweekly periods and examined as before. The results, which 

 are described in detail, confirm those of the previous year already 

 given. 



Concerning the varying crystallizable nitrogenous compounds 

 in germinating plants, E. Schulze {Ztschr. phiisloJ. Chcm.^L'^ {18!J(i), 

 No. 4-5, pp. 411-131). — The author has investigated the nitrogenous 

 compounds in germinating plants of vetch, and white, yellow, and blue 

 lupines, studying the variations due to the processes of growth. It is 

 shown that different species of the same genus of plants may contain 

 very different nitrogen contents. The cotyledons of young plants of 

 the yellow lupine contain considerable arginin, while it is almost or 

 entirely wanting in the white and blue lux)ines. In a like manner, in 

 etiolated plants of Lupinus angustifolius leucin but no phenylalanin is 

 found. On the contrary, L. lutens and L. albus contain phenylalanin 

 but no leucin. In gourd plantlets as well as those of Fieea excelsa some- 

 times glutamin and sometimes asparagin is to be found. Green plants 

 of Yicia satira and Lupinus hiieus contained only leucin, while the etio- 

 lated plantlets of the vetch contained leucin, amido-valerianicacid, and 

 phenylalanin; the etiolated lupine seedlings contained only amido- val- 

 erianic acid and phenylalanin. 



Concerning the distribution of glutamin in plants, E. Schulze 

 {Landiv. Vers. Sta., 48 {1896), No. l,pp. 33-55).— In 1883 the author and 

 E. Bosshard^ showed glutamin to be a constituent of the juice ex- 

 tracted from garden beets. In the present paper an extended rejiort is 

 given of examinations made of many plants for the presence of this 

 substance, which is considered homologous with asparagin. The de- 

 tailed methods of separation are reported. The method of treatment 

 gives glutamin, an amid compound which is characterized by small 

 needle-shaped crystals containing no water of crystallization. The 

 crystals are somewhat soluble in cold water but not in absolute alcohol. 

 When heated with caustic soda ammonia is given oft", or with very 

 dilute hydrochloric acid the ammonia is split up. A warm aqueous 

 solution treated with copper hydroxid gives nearly insoluble coi)per- 

 glutamin crystals i eadily recognized under the microscope. 



The author investigated the roots of garden and sugar beets, carrots, 

 kohl-rabi, celery, and radish; tubers of Stachys tuber if era, etiolated 

 plants of gourd, castor bean, rape, white mustard, and sunflower; and 

 the green parts of growing plants of Saponaria officinalis, garden beets, 

 kohlrabi, Fteris aquilina, Aspidium Jiiix mas, and Asplenium jilix 

 faniina. In each of these IG different species, repre^enting 1) orders of 

 plants, glutamin was found, while the investigation of tubers of arti- 

 choke and dahlia and chicory roots gave negative results. 



' Landw. Vers. 8t:i., 29 (1883), p. 295. 



