824 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



products, and in the leaves asparagin is utilized for the synthetic formation of 

 albumen. 



Tlie reserve carbohydrates of the bulb of the hyacinth, J. Parkin {Avn. 

 Bot., 14- {1900), No. 53, pp. 155-167). — Various authors have reported that the 

 reserve carbohydrates in the l)ulbs of hyacinths, lilies, tulips, etc., consist of dextrin, 

 inulin, and other carbohydrates. The author has made a study of hyacinth bulbs 

 and has found that the reserve material consists of a form of inulin. Inulin is said 

 to include those carbohydrates which are levorotatory and which, when treated 

 with an acid, hydrolyse to fructose. The polariscope method of distinguishing 

 between dextrin and inulin is considered by the author the most satisfactory means 

 of recognizing these substances. Based upon his investigations, the author states 

 that the inulin of plants can be arranged into 3 classes, as follows: 



"That found in the Compositfe and allied orders, which is precipitated in the 

 tissues by alcohol in the form of the well-known sj^herocrystals, and which is prac- 

 tically insoluble in cold water, requiring a temperature of 50 to 55° F. for its solution. 



"That characteristic of many monocotyledons, e. g. 8cilla, Yucca, Phleum, and 

 the plant now before us; it is precipitated in an amori^hOus form, in the tissues, as a 

 thick lining to the inside of the cell wall and is readily soluble in cold water. 



"That found in the bulb scales of species of Galanthus and Leucojum, which is 

 precipitated in the tissues in an amorphous form, and which requires a temperature 

 as high as 80° for its solution." 



Experimental investigations on the origin of species, H. de Vries {Rev. Gen. 

 Bot., 13 {1901), Xo. 145, jip. 5-17, _titj--<. 10). — The results are given of a number of 

 ex])eriments made by the author, in which advantage was taken of the individual 

 variation of plants to produce new species. The principal part of the paj^er is taken 

 up with a discussion of the species of (Enothera which were produced from (7s. lamark- 

 iuna. The species to Avhich names have been given are apparently quite unlike the 

 parent plant, and in some cases possess characters of an apparently new type. Ordi- 

 narily they all rex)roduce themselves without any reversion to the characters of tlie 

 original species. 'Of the 4 species which have been developed in this way, but one 

 possesses characters which would in any way associate it with the original, and it 

 might be regarded simply as a white variety. The new characters appeared without 

 any attempt on the part of the investigator to control them, and possessed none of 

 the individual characteristics of the mother plant. The changed characteristics can 

 not be entirely attril»uted to individual varialiility. 



The course of the hyphal filaments of Tilletia in the body of the wheat 

 plant, H. L. Bolley {Proc. Soc. Prom. Agr. Set., 1900, pp. 147, 148). — Attention is 

 called to an error of the author, which was published in North Dakota Station Bulle- 

 tin 27 (E. S. R., 9, p. 143). In reporting the results of studying the development of 

 the hyphfe of Tilletia he was led into the error of mistaking the dried contents of the 

 mesophyll cells of diseased wheat straws for the knotted filaments of the fungus. 



Individual prepotency in plants of the same breeding, W. W. Tracy ( Proc. 

 Soc. Prom. A(jr. Sci., 1900, pp. 57-59). — A l)rief account is given of breeding experi- 

 ments in which it was desired to establish a forcing radish with a distinctly oval 

 shaped root. The experiments were conducted for 3 years, the methods of selection 

 being described in some detail. Wide variation in the progeny of some of the selected 

 roots was noted and in general there was less departure from the desired type where 

 there was a general selection of roots than where a single individual was taken as a 

 type. 



The botanic garden as an aid to agriculture, "\V. Trelease (Proc. Soc. Proin. 

 Agr. ScL, 1900, pp. 103-110). — In this article the value of botanic gardens as a<ljunct3 

 to agricultural education is pointed out, and various ways in which their efiiciency 

 can be increased are described. 



