EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XXXII. Abstract Number. No. 3. 



RECENT WORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 



AGRICTJLTTJRAL CHEMISTRY— AGROTECHNY. 



The simpler natural bases, G. Barger {London, New York, Bomhay, and 

 Calcutta, Idllf, pp. VIII -{-215). — ^The contents of this volume, which is one of 

 the well-known series of monographs on biochemistry edited by R. H. A. Plim- 

 mer and F. G. Hoi^kins, are as follows : Amins derived from protein ; w-amino 

 acids and other bases containing a carboxyl group; betains; cholin and allied 

 substances; creatin, creatinin, glycocyamin, and guanidins; adrenalin; bases of 

 unknown constitution; and practical chemical methods and details, (a) general 

 methods for the separation and isolation of bases, (b) special methods — proper- 

 ties of individual bases and of their salts. 



A very large blbliograpliy is appended. 



Nucleic acids. — Their chemical properties and physiological conduct, W. 

 Jones (Netv York, Bombay, and Calcutta, 1914, pp- VIII-{-118). — Despite the 

 fact that the field of nucleic acids is one of the best understood in biological 

 chemistry, this work constitutes the first separate treatise on the subject. Its 

 contents are as follows: Thymus nucleic acid, yeast nucleic acid, the physiolog- 

 ical conduct of nucleic acids, preparation of thymus nucleic acid, the analytical 

 chemistry of the purin derivatives and of the pyrimidin derivatives, preparation 

 of thymin and cytosin from thymus nucleic acid, preparation of uracil and 

 cytosin and of guanylic acid and guanosin from yeast nucleic acid, and demon- 

 stration of the purin ferments. 



An extensive bibliography is appended. This volume is another of the well- 

 known series of monographs on biochemistry referred to above. 



The decomposition of sugar in the living cell, C. Oppenheimer {Naturwis- 

 senschaften, 2 (1914), Nos. 3, pp. 49-52; 4, pp. 78-82).— This deals minutely 

 with the subject from the standpoint of both animal and plant phj'siology. 



About plant tallows, II. Wagneb and J. B. Lampart (Ztschr. Untersuch. 

 Nahr. u. Genussmtl., 27 (1914), No. 10, pp. 731-733).— A fat declared as plant 

 fat to the customs authorities and said to originate in the East Indies had an 

 odor reminding one of beeswax, a yellow color, and a brittle, hard consistency. 

 The tallow contained many particles of wood and bark. When melted the fat 

 had a still more pronounced honey-like odor and a tallowy taste. Tests for 

 sesame and cotton-seed oil were negative, and Bellier's reaction did not give a 

 test for plant fats. 



The refractive index of the fat at 40° C. was 43.7, melting point 38.75° C, 

 solidifying point 29.3°, acidity degree 17.25, acid number 9.6, ester number 197.9, 



201 



