AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 129 



Potatoes were increase<l in weifj:bt by tbe use of several different applications. 

 Results with mustard and soy beans were variable, some compounds tested 

 apiiearing toxic. In case of grapevines tbe conclusion is reacbed tbat mixtures 

 used against attacks of fungi, etc., may be so proportioned as to give tbese sprays 

 a decided value as aerial fertilizers if tbe necessary bigber degree of adberence 

 can be secured to prevent tbeir removal by rains. 



Saponins as a source of carbohydrates for vegetation, F. Solacolu {Compt. 

 Rend. /S'oc. Biol. [Paris], 77/ (1913), No. 6, pi). 30 ',-300). —The author reports on 

 culture experiments with Aspergillus niger and PenicilUum glaucum in nutritive 

 media containing various saponins named,- most of which were commercially 

 prepared, stating that all served as nutritive material for these fungi. 



Studies on the distribution of asparagin, glutaniin, arginin, and allantoin 

 in plants, A. Stieger {Uoppe-Seyler's Ztschr. Phy.siol. Clicni., S6 {1913), No. J^, 

 pp. 245-269). — Tbe results are given of investigations carried out regarding tbe 

 occurrence and proportion of these products in various portions of tbe plant 

 body, numerous families of plants being represented in tbe study. 



It is stated tbat asparagin and glutamin were frequently found together in 

 various proportions and sometimes in different families, leading to the conclu- 

 sion that these products are in some instances used or stored at very unlike 

 rates, the differences in this respect being apparently family characteristics 

 in certain cases. Arginin almost always accompanied asparagin, but less regu- 

 larly glutamin. Allantoin showed no such close relation to the other compounds 

 in question and no conclusion was reached regarding tbe part it plays in plant 

 economy. 



The formation of the anthocyan pigments of plants, VI, F. Keeble, E. F. 

 Armstrong, and W. X. Jones (Proc. Roy. Soc. [London], Ser. B, 87 {1913), No. 

 B 503, pp. 113-131). — This is in continuation of a series of papers (E. S. R., 29, 

 p. 421), tbe present one dealing with the pigment-producing glucosid of tbe 

 wallflower, tbe formation of pigment-producing substances from glucosids, and 

 the biochemistry of Mendelian color characters. 



The pale yellow sap color of the petals of the wallflower is said to be a mix- 

 ture of hydroxyflavone glucosids. Tbe hydrolyzed product if reduced and sub- 

 sequently oxidized yields a red pigment. Tbe fact that flowers containing yellow 

 pigments may be caused, by chemical treatment, to jield a red pigment sug- 

 gests that red mutations should be of possible occurrence within the species. 

 The formation of pigments, as tbe results of oxidation by oxidase of tlie hydro- 

 lyzed products of glucosids, is determined by the presence of aminocompounds 

 and is of general occurrence. 



The authors give a classification of pigments as determined by their investi- 

 gations. It is suggested as a hypothesis that tbe higher members of a flower 

 color series owe their origin to the presence with the lower members of specific 

 substances which, acting as receivers of oxygen, reduce the pigments character- 

 istic of the lower members of the color series, accept oxygen therefrom, and 

 thereby become oxidized to pigments of specific color. 



Synthesis by sunlight in relationship to the origin of life. — Synthesis of 

 formaldehyde from carbon dioxid and water by inorganic colloids acting as 

 transformers of light energy, B. Moore and T. A. Webster {Proc. Roy. Soc. 

 [London], Ser. B, 87 {1913), No. B 593, pp. 163-176).— The authors found that 

 organic matter (aldehyde) was synthesized from inorganic colloidal uranic 

 and ferric hydroxids in very dilute solution. These colloids are believed to act 

 as catalysts for light energy, converting it into chemical energy in a reduction 

 process similar to the first stage of synthesis of organic from inorganic sub- 

 stances in the green plant by the agency of chlorophyll. Such a synthesis 



