502 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



"Changes in total acidity, alcohol, and snp:ar are entirely independent of 

 tlie starch content of the ensiled corn and of the silage produced from it. The 

 first intermediate products resulting from the decomposition of starch are 

 not pre.sent in demonstrable quantities. The starch content remains constant 

 throughout the fermentation process. The starch granules remain intact, under- 

 goii;g no physical change that can be detected by microscopic examination." 



The composition of oil of chonopodium from various sources, E. K. 

 Nelson (Joui: Awcr. Chem. Soc, /f2 {li)20), Xo. 6, pp. J20'f-120S).— This is the 

 report of an examination at the Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, of samples of native oil of chenopodium. 



Of 7 authentic samples collected from different distilling plants all complied 

 with the requirements of the U. S. Pharmacopceia and contained from 60 to 77 

 per cent of the active constituent ascaridol. The oil distilled from wild plants 

 collected in Florida was found to contain less ascaridol than the oil distilled 

 from cultivated plants in Maryland. 



The chemical composition of cottonseed oil, G. S. Jamieson and W. F. 

 Baughman (Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc, 42 (1920), No. 6, pp. 1197-1204).— An anal- 

 ysis is reported from the Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, of a sample of cottonseed oil cold pressed by means of an oil expeller from 

 Sea Island cotton seed. 



The lead salt ether method gave a yield of 23 per cent of saturated acids 

 and 72.5 per cent of unsaturated acids. The iodin number (Hanus) of the 

 unsaturated acids was 142.2, the saponification number 199.4, and the mean 

 molecular weight 281.3. The percentage composition of the oil calculated a.s 

 glycerids was as follows: Myristic acid 0.34, palmitic acid 20.04, stearic acid 

 1.98, arachidic acid 0.58, oleic acid 0.53, and linolic acid 0.64 per cent. 



Oil of Rubieva multiflda, E. K. Nelson (Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc, 42 {1920), 

 No. 6, p. 1286). — An analysis is reported of the essential oil of R. multiflda. 



Preparation of peptone (Rpt. Bombay Bact. Lab. 1918, pp. 9, 10). — A satis- 

 factory substitute for Witte's peptone has been prepared by M. B. Soparkar as 

 follows : 



Casein obtained from skim milk is digested for a few days at 40° C. with 

 proteolytic enzyms derived from the pancreatic glands of goats. Further diges- 

 tion is then prevented by boiling, and the resulting extract, consisting of a mix- 

 ture of proteoses, peptones, polypeptids, and amino acids, is evaporated to dry- 

 ness and pulverized. 



The products of the " acetone: n-butyl alcohol " fermentation of carbo- 

 hydrate material, with special reference to some of the intermediate sub- 

 stances produced, J. Reilly, W. J. Hickinbottom, P. R. Henley, and A. G. 

 Thaysen (Biochem. Jour., 14 {1920), No. 2, pp. 229-251, figs. 2).— This is a 

 report of a quantitative examination of the intermediate substances and end- 

 products of the acetone-butyl alcohol fermentation of carbohydrate material 

 (6.5 per cent maize mash) under varying conditions. The results obtained are 

 summarized as follows : 



" In the fermented mash, acetic and butyric acids are present in varying pro- 

 portions. During the progress of the fermentation the ratio of butyric acid to 

 acetic acid increases with the increase in the acidity of the mash, reaching a 

 maximum when the acidity is at its highest. With the production of ' oil ' the 

 ratio of butyric acid to acetic acid diminishes until the mash contains an excess , 

 of acetic acid. If the acidity is neutralized by the addition of calcium carbonate,] 

 the calcium salts of the acids present in the mash i-eplace the acetone and 

 «-butyl alcohol, and these latter ai-e produced in almost negligible amount. Ir 

 the presence of calcium carbonate, however, the fermentation proceeds as fan 

 as the point corresponding to the maximum acidity in a normal fermentatioi 



