[Vol. 87, 1917] AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY— AGROTECHNT, 9 



results of experiments on the preparation of copper compounds of edestin and 

 gliadin. The probable structure of these complex compounds and the signifi- 

 cance of such data as submitted are briefly discussed. 



d-Mannoketoheptose, a new sugar from the avocado, F, B. La Forge {Jour. 

 Biol. Chem., 28 {1911), No. 2, pp. 511-522) .—The isolation of the sugar and its 

 chemical properties are described in detail. 



A saponin from Yucca filanientosa, L. H. Cheknoff, A. Viehoeveb, and 

 C. O. JoHxNS {Jour. Biol. Chem., 28 {1911), No. 2, pp. J,37-U3).—A new saponin 

 (C2iH4oOi4) has been isolated from the root stock of Y. filanientosa, a yield of 

 the crude saponin of about 6 per cent being obtained. The material is soluble 

 in watei", alcohol, phenol, and glacial acetic acid, but can not be precipitated 

 from aqueous solution by neutral or basic lead acetate and barium hydroxid. No 

 cholesterol compound could be prepared. Hemolysis of rabbit blood was ob- 

 served after 15 minutes in the saponin solution at 37° C. 



Hydrolysis yielded a sapogenin which crystallized in regular, fine needles, 

 melting at 175". The molecular weight of this material was approximately 

 255. It was soluble in alcohol, phenol, and glacial acetic acid, but not in 

 alkali or dilute acids. The crystals of this material showed practically no 

 hemolytic action. A sugar identified as glucose was also obtained on hydrolysis. 

 The evidence indicated that glucuronic acid is formed during the hydrolysis. 



The saponin is located as a brownish amorphous mass in the fibro-vascular 

 bundles in the roots and leaf bases. 



The relationship existing between the oxidase activity of plant juices and 

 their hydrogen ion concentrations, with a note on the cause of oxidase ac- 

 tivity in plant tissues, H. H. Bunzell {Jour. Biol. Chem., 28 {1916), No. 1, pp. 

 315-333, figs. 3).— Experimental data on the oxidase activity of potato peel 

 powder (1915) ; potato peel powder (1916) ; potato sprouts; scaled tulip tree 

 buds and tulip tree leaves (1916) ; tulip tree leaves (1915) ; magnolia leaves 

 and flower petals (1915) ; and magnolia leaves, flower petals, and stamens 

 from these flowers (1916) under varying hydrogen ion concentrations are 

 reported in detail and the results discussed. 



The results corroborate in a quantitative way the findings of earlier investi- 

 gators on the inhibition of oxidase activity by acids. For the potato material 

 the inhibiting hydrogen ion concentration ranged from 3.55 to 3.7. For the 

 tulip tree material (scaled buds, scales, or leaves) the range was between 2.3 

 and 2.8. In the magnolia the range was from 2.45 to 3.05. These results seem 

 to indicate " that the sensitiveness to acidity of all the oxidase factors through- 

 out the same plant is approximately uniform ; moreover, since different speci- 

 mens of the same genus collected at different times of the year were used, it 

 would indicate also that the acid sensitiveness figure is a rather fixed number, 

 characteristic for any particular genus. It would even seem that the acid 

 sensitiveness constant is the same or nearly the same for different genera 

 (tulip tree and magnolia) of the same family (Magnoliacese)." 



The material responsible for the phenomena of oxidase activity thus ap- 

 peared to be identical in closely related plants. 



The experiments are considered not to be exhaustive. See also a previous 

 note by Reed (E. S. R., 3G, p. 503). 



The sampling of fertilizers, F. S. Lodge {Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 9 

 {1911), No. 2, pp. 161-169, fig. 1). — This is a general discussion of the various 

 types of samplers used throughout the country in the control of fertilizing mate- 

 rials. The lack of uniformity in samplers and the difliculty of securing a rep- 

 resentative sample by most of the samplers used is pointed out. 



The sampler considered to meet all conditions best is one which was de- 

 signed at the Indiana Experiment Station, and consists of two telescoping 



