846 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of total liydrogen over that in the carbohydrates iu the different parts of 

 the plant. This excess is least, i^-, in the stem ; more marked, j., iu the 

 root; and | in the leaves. If from the total hydrogen the amount of 

 hydrogen represented by the am ids and carbohydrates be subtracted, 

 the excess in the roots is ecjual to about ^ of that in the amids and ;jV 

 of the total hydrogen. In the stems there may be no excess or even a 

 deficiency. This implies a disappearance of fatty substances and a 

 degree of oxidation surpassing that of the carbohydrates. In the 

 leaves the excess of hydrogen is nearly equal to that of the amids and 

 4 times as great as the hydrogen in the carbohydrates. The jiroportion 

 of albumiuods to nonnitrogenous matter is lowest in the stem — 1:7, 

 1:4 in the root, and 1:2 in the leaves, showing that the nitrogenous 

 material is partially oxidized in passing through the stem and restored 

 to its original form in the leaves. 



These results were obtained during the earlier stages of vegetative 

 growth when the processes of growth were very simple and were not 

 complicated by the more complex processes accompanying reproduction. 



The results for the other stages of plant growth are tabulated and 

 briefly summar /ed by the authors, as well as data for the variations in 

 the principal fertilizing constituents in the plant (phosphoric acid, 

 liotash, lime, etc.). The general conclusions of Berthelot and Andre 

 relating to the variation in the weight of lupines agree with those of 

 Jumelle^ in his work on the development of annual plants, and those 

 more recently graphically presented by Gain.^ At the outset the var- 

 iation in weight is slight, and there is some loss of organic material, 

 while on the contrary there is a considerable gain in mineral con- 

 stituents. The fats are i)artly consumed, lime and potash increase 

 considerably, and the phosphorus diminishes. The weight of the plants 

 quadrupled iu the first 3 weeks by simple nutrition, the organic 

 material increasing much more rapidly than the mineral matter. At 

 this stage the roots formed r, the weight of the plant and contained 

 the maximum amount of mineral matter. The production of carbo- 

 hydrates was more ra])id than that of the nitrogenous principles. 

 The mineral constituents, especially potash, increased. During the 

 next 3 weeks, until the time of flowering, the weight of the plant 

 again quadrupled. The distribution of the mineral matter was greatly 

 modified and the proportion diminished. During the 2 weeks of 

 flowering growth was very slow and was confined to the production of 

 organic matter, which is subsequently used in fructification. 



For wheat the progress of vegetation was identical with that of 

 lupines. In the same manner the authors have reported upon the proc- 

 esses of growth in alfalfa and the black locust. 



Attention is called to the work of Leclerc du Sablon ' on the forma- 

 tion of nonnitrogenous reserve matter in walnuts and almonds, and that 



1 Rev. ge'n. Bot., 1889. 



' Ann. sci. nat. Bot., ser. 1, 20 (1895), p. 63. 



■■' Compt. Rend., 123 (1896), p. 1081. 



