1919] AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 525 



solutions caused an increase in the respiration of wlieat, followed by a de- 

 crease. These results agree with those of Haas and of Gustafson (above 

 noted), but not w^ith the theory of Verworn. 



V. The effect of ether on the production of carbon dioxid by animals, M. 

 Irwin (pp. 209-220). — The purpose of this investisation was to make a com- 

 parison of the carbon diosid output of animals with that of plants under the 

 influence of a typical anesthetic such as ether. The results are considered to 

 show that narcosis is not due to asphyxia, and that the action of anesthetics is 

 not due to their effect on respiration. While in the case of animals the in-' 

 crease in carbon dioxid output is accompanied by irrever.sible change leading 

 to death, this is not necessarily the case in plants. The reversible (narcotic) 

 action of ether on the animals studied was accompanied by a decrease in carbon 

 dioxid output, while this was not ordinarily the case with plants. 



The interpretation of the facts observeil is considered to require further 

 investigations. 



Analytic and synthetic studies on chlorophyll, A. and A. Mary {Etudes 

 Analytiques et SyritJietiques sur la Chlorophylle. Paris: A. Maloine d Sons, 

 1917, pp. 40, pi- 1). — This contribution discusses, first, the views of other authors 

 mentioned in regard to characters and properties of chlorophyll; second, 

 spectrum analysis as applied in the study of chlorophyll ; third, its chemical 

 relations; fourth, its behavior toward coloring substances (methylene blue); 

 fifth, a comparative study of chlorophyll pigment with anilin ; and sixth, the 

 functions of chlorophyll. 



Growth rates in plants, O. Debatin (Naturw. Umschau Chem. Ztg., 5 (1916), 

 No. 4, PP- 52-54)' — Rates of growth or of doubling (dimensions) are given with 

 discussion for a number of higher and lower plants. 



Abnormal stem growth of soy beans in sand cultures with Shive's three- 

 salt solutioa, A. G. McCall, J. B. S. Norton, and P. E. Richards (Soil Sci., 6 

 (1918), Xo. G, pp. 479-481, i)ls. 2).— The authors refer to the observations and 

 data reported by Shive (E. S. R., 39, p. 827), in whose work each of the phos- 

 phates used singly in the soil cultures caused specific injury to soy beans when 

 the initial concentration of the solution was above 1 atmosphere (monopotas- 

 sium phosphate producing the least and monocalcium phosphate the most in- 

 jury). They state that in their study during two years, soy beans growing 

 in sand cultures, supplied with Shive's 3-salt nutrient solution having a con- 

 centration initially of 1.75 atmospheres, showed injury in case of widely vary- 

 ing salt proportions. It is suggested that this injui'y, instead of being cor- 

 related with a high concentration of a particular salt, may have resulted from 

 some property which was common to all of the Shive 3-salt solutions. 



Osmotic pressure in plants on mountain heights, O. Arrhenius and E. 

 SoDERBERG (Svenslc Bot. Tidskr., 11 (1917), No. 3-4, pp. 373-380).— A study of 

 mountain plants carried out during the summer of 1917 at a point in Swedish 

 Lapland and is said to show that these have a I'elatively high osmotic pressure 

 (corresponding to the concentration of the cell sap), which within certain 

 limits protects the plants against frost injury. 



Distribution of materials dissolved in the sap in different portions of the 

 stalk of sugar cane, J. Kuijper (Kuyper) (Arch. Suikerindus. Nederland. 

 Indii', 26 (1918), No. 39, pp. 1665-1686; also in Meded. Proefstnt. Java-Suiker- 

 indus., Landhomvk. Ser., No. 11 (1918), pp. 22). — It is stated that the amount of 

 dissolved substance increases with considerable regularity from the top of the 

 cane downward, and generally from the central part outward, the harder parts 

 thus containing larger percentages of solutes. 



Some observations on the behavior of turgescent tissue in solutions of cane 

 sugar and of certain toxic substances, D. Thoday (Netc Phytol., 17 (1918), No. 



