AGEICULTTJRAL BOTANY. 629 



action of this acid under these conditions is said to be in relation to the presence 

 of the malpighian layer. 



The germination of barley, V. Bibckneb (Biol. Centbl, 33 (1913), No. 4, pp. 

 181-189). — The author finds that the presence of the scutellum in barley seeds 

 does not favor, hut hinders considerably, the conversion of starch products in 

 sprouting seeds; that decrease of atmospheric pressure at the inception of 

 softening of the seed is disadvantageous to germination ; and that the employ- 

 ment of silver nitrate to disinfect the seeds was distinctly hurtful thereto, 

 germinability being reduced to 80 per cent by employment of a 1.7 per cent 

 solution for J hour, of 0.34 per cent for 2 hours, or of 0.17 per cent for 4 hours. 



Morphological modifications and floral anomalies due to the suppression 

 of the endosperm in certain plants, J. A. Urbain {Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci, 

 [Paris], 157 (1913), No. 10, pp. 450-^52).— In a preceding note (E. S. R., 29, 

 p. 421) the author showed that the endosperm of certain seeds was not essen- 

 tial to the development of the embryo. He has carried out further experiments 

 and reports at length upon those with castor bean, poppy, and Nigella. 



Ill these the removal of the endosperm was found to induce dwarfing, bring 

 about morphological modifications in the leaves, and cause precocious flower- 

 ing, followed by a second normal flowering. Often the absence of the endo- 

 sperm results in sex anomalies in dioecious plants, particularly during the first 

 period of flowering. 



Other experiments, with oats, maize, fennel, etc.. gave results analogous to 

 those of Tournois (E. S. R., 26, p. 432). in which a reversal of the sex char- 

 acters of the flowers of Japanese hops and hemp was obtained. 



Floral anomalies in maize, appearing spontaneously in 1912, Beethatjlt 

 (Bui. 8oc. Nat. Agr. France, 73 (1913). No. J,, pp. 292-295, pis. 3).— This is a 

 discussion of certain sexual anomalies of maize which are stated to have been 

 so very common in Landes, France, as to reduce materially the crop returns 

 for the year. These are considered to exhibit physiological disturbances due to 

 excessive humidity combined with an abundance of nitrogenous material avail- 

 able in the soil. 



Induced semiparasitism in cress, M. Molliabd (Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. 

 [Paris]. 1.56 (1913), No. 22. pp. 1604-1696).— The author reports having induced 

 the semiparasitic growth of cress on beans by placing the germinated seed In 

 wounds in the hypocotyl of beans, the cotyledons of which had been well devel- 

 oped. The cress plants were grown in this way for 40 days, and expanded 

 their leaves and developed, indicating that it was possible by this means for 

 the cress to obtain its necessary nourishment through the intervention of 

 another plant. 



A physiological study of the legume bacteria, E. B. Fred (Virginia Sta. 

 Rpts. 1911-12, pp. 145-173, fig. 1). — A study has been made of Bacillus radidcola 

 to determine whether it fixes atmospheric nitrogen when grown apart from the 

 host plant. Pure cultures of the organism were grown in a number of different 

 media to determine if possible the relation between the amount of carbohy- 

 drates consumed and nitrogen fixed, to measure the formation of gum and its 

 relation to nitrogen fixation, to note the effect of aeration, reaction of culture 

 medium, temperature, and age of culture on the gain in atmospheric nitro- 

 gen, etc. 



The legume bacteria were found to show a marked growth when cultivated 

 on synthetic liquid or agar media, and possessed the power of fixing small 

 amounts of atmospheric nitrogen when grown in a proper medium. The pres- 

 ence of a trace of nitrogen seemed to aid in the gain, while large amounts of 

 nitrogen retarded the process. Maltose, saccharose, and mannite were found 

 to be good sources of carbohydrates, the first i^erhaps being the most suitable. 



