AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 29 



protoplasm. If calciniii is taken uit in this way there Is ai)i)arently no reason 

 for donhtinsjc tliat tlie salts of sodinni, potassium, magnesium, and iron may 

 penetrate the liviui; cell in the same way. 



The photochemical formation of formaldehyde in green plants, S. B. 

 ScHRYVKK (I'loc. Roy. Hoc. [Loiidou], Scr. B, S2 (1910), Ao. B ijo',. pp. 226- 

 23:^. — It is stated that considex-able criticism has been brought against the 

 various theories regarding the presence of formaldehyde in plants, it being held 

 that, from an experimental point of view, the results are somewhat inconclusive. 



The author has made a study of this subject, determining the presence of 

 formaldehyde by a method which is said to be exceedingly delicate. The re- 

 action was found to show the presence of minute (piantities of formaldehyde, 

 both combined and free. The author was able to detect formaldeliyde in 

 chlorophyll, where it exi.sts in a state of somewliat stable combination. The 

 photocliemical synthesis of formaldehyde, it is claimed, can be readily demon- 

 strated. From the fact that formaldehyde exists in a state of combination in 

 chlorophyll, the author claims it is possible to explain how the su])i)]y necessary 

 for sugar synthesis in the plant is regulated. 



Phytocheniical investigations at Ke"w, M. Gresiioff {Ron. Bol. Gnrd. Keio, 

 Bill. Misc. J II form., I'M'J, Xo. 10, pp. 397-.'i 18) .—The results are given of a 

 study of about TOO genera of plants in which the author attempted to correlate 

 the relationshii) of the plants with their chemical composition. Tlie examina- 

 tion was made for tlie distril)ution of tannins and alkaloids as well as for 

 hydrocyanic acid and saponin. 



Does tannin in the seed coat of barley have any effect on the semiper- 

 meability of its membranes? A. Reichard (ZtscJir. Gesam. Brauw., 32 (1909), 

 p. l-'i'j; (lbs. ill Zt.'icln: i^pii ititsindus., 33 (1910), No. 6", pp. 57, 58).— After re- 

 ferring to the investigations of Brown (E. S. R., 18, p. 727), in which it was 

 shown that the semipermeabilitj^ of the seed coats of barley and some other 

 grains was not due to the activity of the protoplasm, the author describes 

 experiments that seem to indicate that it is due, in some degree at least, to 

 the tannin which is present in considerable quantity in the seed coats of barley. 

 Some variation in the permeability was noticed, but this is believed to have 

 been due to insufficient ripeness. 



Some notes on cyanogenetic plants, A. W. K. De Jong (Rec. Trav. Chim. 

 Paps-Bus ct Bchj., 2S (1909), Ao. 1-2, pp. 2Jf-.'tl, fig. Z).— An account is given 

 of the author's investigations on the occurrence of hydrocyanic acid in the 

 leaves of Paiif/iiiiii ciJiilc and also of the glucosid yielding this acid in the 

 leaves of I'luisrohts liniatiis. 



The investigations showed the presence of the glucosid gynocardlne in the 

 leaves of Pangium, but a considerable portion of the hydrocyanic acid is present 

 either in the free state or in a very weak combination. Phaseolunatin was 

 found in the leaves of the beans iu\estigated, the same substance having been 

 previously reported as occurring in the seeds (E. S. R., 15, p. 556). 



The role of oxygen in the formation of proteids in plants, W. Z.\leski 

 (Biochem. Ztschr., 23 (1909), No. 1-2, pp. l.')0-152).—U is claimed, from the 

 results of experiments conducted, that oxygen plays no direct role itself in the 

 formation of proteids from amino acids in the plants, but may do so indirectly. 

 In the absence of oxygen, proteid formation does not occur and therefore prob- 

 ably all living processes of green plants depend on the presence of oxygen. 



The proteases of plants, VII, S. H. Vines (Ann. Bot. [London], 2J, (1910), 

 No. 93, pp. 213-222). — In a previous paper (E. S. 11., 17, i). 750) the author gave 

 an account of experiments with malt which led to the conclusion that it con- 

 tains 2 j)roteases, a peptase and an orei»tase. In the present i)aper an account 

 is given of investigations of malt diastase and Taku-diastase showing that both 



