AGMCULTUBAL CHEMISTRY — AGBOTECHNT. 805 



tains an inosit-phosplioric acid corresponding to the formula CiEUPjO., nor 

 with those of Anderson [E. S. R., 28, p. 505], who claims that cotton-seed meal 

 contains an acid of similar composition, nor with those of Anderson [B. S- R., 

 28, p. 17] claiming that wheat bran contains an inosit-phosphoric acid of the 

 formula CioHtBP»04»." 



The decomposition products of the crude free acids obtained from cotton- 

 seed meal by the acid and ammonia treatment were sufficiently pure to be 

 recognized as inosit. It is concluded that the inosit-phosphoric acid of wheat 

 bran and cotton-seed meal are identical. 



" Probably two-thirds of the inosit-phosphoric acid of cotton-seed meal is not 

 soluble in 0.2 per cent acid, but is soluble in water. It is not soluble in water 

 after extracting the material with acid, but may be dissolved in 0.2 per cent 

 ammonia. The inosit-phosphoric acid of feeding materials is therefore not 

 necessarily confined to the acid extract, which has formerly been assumed." 



It is also concluded that there is probably no evidence " that wheat bran 

 contains an inosit-phosphoric acid with pentose in the molecule. There is also 

 no evidence that cotton-seed meal contains such an acid." The presence of 

 pentose in the product isolated by others is believed to be due to the use of 

 faulty methods. " The formula dsH^iPsOu is proposed for inosit-phosphoric 

 acid, or the so-called ' phytic acid ' of feeding materials." 



See also a previous note (E. S. R., 27, p. 712). 



Report in regard to the work done in the field of milk chemistry and dairy 

 technology during the first half of 1912, Grimmer {Milchic. Zenthl., Ifl {1012), 

 Nos. IS, pp. 563-569; 19, pp. 584-592). — This includes work in animal hus- 

 bandry, milk production, the various kinds of milk, changes taking place in 

 milk and their constituents, bacteria in milk, enzyms, immune bodies, milk as 

 an antigen, rennet and rennet coagulation, milk as a food, dairy products, dairy 

 apparatus, shipping milk, and methods of examining milk. 



Papers from the chemical laboratory of the New York State Station, L. L. 

 Van Slyke and A. W. Bosworth {Jour. Biol. Chem., 14 {1913), No. 3, pp. 207- 

 236).— The papers noted are as follows: Preparation and composition of basic 

 calcium caseinate and paracnseinate (pp. 207-209) ; preparation and composi- 

 tion of unsaturated or acid caseinates and paracaseinates (pp. 211-225) ; valency 

 of molecules and molecular weights of casein and paracasein (pp. 227-2.30) ; com- 

 position and properties of the brine-soluble compound in cheese (pp. 231-236). 

 These have been previously noted from another source (E. S. R., 29, p. 9). 



The action of rennin on casein, A. W. Bos worth {New York State 8ta. Tech. 

 Bid. 31, pp. 3-7; Jour. Biol. Chem., 15 {1913), No. 2, pp. 231-236) .—The conclu- 

 sions drawn from this investigation are as follows : 



"A solution of calcium caseinate neutral to litmus and free from all other 

 salts is not curdled by rennin. A solution of calcium caseinate acid to litmus, 

 which contains 2 equivalents of base for each molecule of casein, is curdled by 

 rennin. Solutions of ammonium, sodium, or potassium caseinates are not 

 curdled by rennin. In such solution however the casein is changed to para- 

 casein, the paracaseinates of these bases being soluble. ^Vhen paracasein is 

 produced from casein by the action of rennin, no other substance is formed. 

 Two molecules of paracasein are produced from each molecule of casein as a 

 result of this action. 



" Rennin is not, strictly speaking, a coagulating ferment ; the coagulation 

 being a secondary effect, the result of a change in solubilities. Rennin action 

 is probably a hydrolytic cleavage and may be considered the first step in the 

 proteolysis of casein. It would follow from this that the action now attributed 



