704 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



if digested at 37° foi- 21 liours. Calcium cblorid has tlie property of sliglitly 

 increasing the rate of hydrolysis in a 0.1 per cent solution, while it inhibits 

 luarlvedly in a 1 per cent solution." 



A contribution to the study of oxydases, R. A. Gortneb (Jour, Chem. Soc. 

 ILondon], 07 (1910), No. oGS, pp. 110-120). — A new variety of tyrosinase is 

 described which " is distinguished from the known tyrosinases by its insolubil- 

 ity in water, its loss of vitality in glycerol solutions and on drying, and by its 

 inability to oxidize resorcinol, orcinol. etc. 



"A chroniogen has been found in the larva of Tcncbro molitor, giviuu; with 

 t.vrosinase color reactions identical with those given by tyrosin. 



" Tyrosinase has been found in the myriopods Scalapacnjptops scrpinosa and 

 Ji4Uus canadensis u. sp., and also in the larva of Cuciijiis clavipcs. 



" It has been observed that extracts of almost all animal tissues possess the 

 power of oxidizing solutions of quinol. and that this power is considerably 

 diminished by prolonge<l boiling. 



" Tyrosinase has been found to exist together with laccase in the Monotropa 

 inuflora." 



About the occurrence of hemicelluloses in the seed coats of the pea (Pisum 

 sativum) and the kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), E. Schulze and U. 

 Pfenninger (Zischr. Physiol. Chem., 68 {1910), No. 2, pp. 9S-10S).— The seed 

 coats of the pea and kidney bean were examined in the unripe and ripe state 

 and in the fresh and dried condition. 



On hydrolyzing the unripe seed coats of peas with 3 per cent sulphuric acid 

 fructose, galactose, and arabinose could be identifietl. Xylose and mannose 

 were not noted. Calculating from the furfurol produced the sugar sirup con- 

 tained 45 per cent of pentoses*. The ripe seed coats were examined in tlie same 

 manner and the hemicelluloses were found to be 33.8 per cent of the dry weight 

 of the seed coats. Another test demonstrated with certainty that an increase 

 of the heniicellulose content of the seed coat takes place during the ripening 

 ])rocess, 100 unripe seed coats yielding lO.S ^m. and 100 ripe seed coats 17.6 gm. 

 of hemicelluloses. In the sirup obtained by hydrolyzing the ripe seed coats with 

 sulphuric aci*! fructose and galactose, but no arabinose. could be detected. 



With 1(M» unripe seed coats of the kidney bean, harvested August 10, 10.35 per 

 cent of hemicelluloses was found, and in those gathered September 2, 15.05 per 

 cent, while in the ripe condition, October 1. 48.05 per cent was present. On 

 hydrolysis the unripe seed coats yielded galactose and arabinose, the galactose 

 being easily obtained in crystalline form. The ripe seed coats yielded galactose 

 and arabinose, and the galactose from these could also be crystallized. Fruc- 

 tose was i)robably present but in very small amounts. 



According to the authors, the hemicelluloses serve as the structural material 

 for the seed coats. 



Ptomaines from rotted soy beans, K. Yoshimura (Biochem. Ztschr., 28 

 (1910), No. 1, pp. 16-22). — From 1 kg. of air-dry rotted soy beans the following 

 amounts of organic bases were isolated : K-Imidazolylathylamin about 0.18 gni., 

 tetramethylendiamin (putrescin) about 0.25 gm., pentamethylendiamin (Cada- 

 verin) about 0.53 gm.. trimethylamin about 0.23 gm., and ammonia 4.60 gm. 

 Ilistidin. arginin. and lysin were not present. 



The fats, J. B. I.eathes (London and Ncic York, 1910, pp. IX+13S).— This 

 monogi-aph is designed to furnish data as to the present status of, and recent 

 advances in, the chemistry and biology of fats. The chapters are as follows: 

 The fatty acids: glycerol and the gl.vcerids; other alcohols and their fatty acid 

 esters; phospholipines. galactolipines and lipines; the extraction of fat; the esti- 

 mation of fat in animal tissues; physical properties of fats; general chemical 

 methods used in the analysis of fats; separation, identification and estimation 



