AGKICULTURAL BOTANY. 523 



cumbed. The nasturtium plants withstood an exposure to gas from 15.5 gm. of 

 the cyauid for two hours. They appeared to be slightly injured when taken out 

 of the fumigation chamber, but fully recovered vigor in three days. 



Action of chloroform and ether on the inversion of saccharose in the roots 

 of sugar beet, P. Maz^ {Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 77 (1914), No. 32, pp. 

 549, 550). — The author states that the immersion of fragments of sugar beet 

 in solutions of chloroform or ether resulted in the excretion of the invert sugar 

 and saccharose into the liquid. Chloroform was found more energetic in this 

 respect than ether. It is believed that chloroform and ether bring about a very 

 abundant secretion of saccharose. The fragments of potatoes submitted to 

 chloroform and ether did not show any saccharification of starch. 



Influence of naphthalin on germination, growth, and nitrification, in 

 plants, P. Cacciaki {^taz. Sper. Agr. Ital., Jft {19U), No. 5, pp. 3/t7~367).—lt 

 was found that when present in from 0.5 to 10 per cent of the seed weight for 

 a considerable period of time naphthalin exerted little or no injurious influence 

 on the germination of wheat and legumes. It was unfavorable to their vegeta- 

 tive development and to their normal rate of nitrification. 



The formation of starch in the embryo before the maturity of the seed, 

 A. GuiLLiERMOND (Compt. Retvd. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 76 (1914), ^o. 13, pp. 561- 

 571, figs. 12). — From a study of beans, peas, castor beans, and squash seed the 

 author claims that starch is formed in the embryo before the maturity of the 

 seed, and that the chloroplasts in the hypocotyl and cotyledons are formed 

 in the beginning of germination. The plastids formed at the beginning of 

 germination are said to be formed from those which have elaborated starch 

 before the maturity of the seed. 



Starch reserve in relation to the production of sugar, flowers, leaves, and 

 seed in birch and maple, F. B. H. Brown {Ohio Nat., 14 {1914), No. 7, pp. 

 817-320, figs. 2). — This is a brief preliminary report on species of maple and 

 birch examined in the spring of 1914. 



It is stated that before the beginning of bud growth little starch had been 

 utilized, the most pronounced changes being confined to the bark of the stem. 

 During vegetative and floral development in spring, starch utilization involved 

 progressively the branches showing from one to ten annual rings of growth. 

 No marked changes have been noted beyond these portions or in the root. 



The origin of anthocyanin in different plant organs, F. Moreau (Compt. 

 Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 77 (1914), No. 29, pp. 502, 5(75).— Attention is called to 

 the different manner in which anthocyanin is formed in floral organs and in 

 other portions of plants, but the author claims that in every case it is of a 

 mitochondrial origin. 



Anthocyanin formation and mineral nutritive components, A. Czabtkowski 

 (Ber. Deut. Bot. Gesell., 32 (1914), No. 6, pp. 407-410) .—The author claims that 

 the production of anthocyanin by young shoots of Tradescantia viridis and 

 T. loeJcensis grown in Knop's solution was favored by lowering the content of 

 nitrogen, but of no other single component. 



Anthocyanin formation in rose leaves, A. M. Lowschin (Ber. Deut. Bot. 

 Gesell., 32 (1914), No. 6, pp. 386^93, pi. 1).—The author, having followed up 

 the studies reported by Pensa (E. S. R., 32, p. 428), states that his examina- 

 tions of young rose foliage leave little room for doubt that not only the filiform, 

 but also the granular elements, serve as a matrix for the production of antho- 

 cyanin. It is here synthesized under the influence of the nucleus from the 

 organic materials furnished by the mother plant. 



The anatomy of Acacia moUissima, with special reference to the distribu- 

 tion of tannin, P. A. van deb Byl (Union So. Africa Dept. Agr. Sci. Bui. 3 

 (1914), pp. 32, figs. 41)- — The author describes the anatomy of A. moUissima, 



