EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 725 



AGRICUITTJEAL BOTANY. 



Life processes in resting* portions of plants, I, II. Muller-Tiiubgau and O. 

 Schneider-Orelli {Flora, n. scr., 1 (1010), No. 3, pp. 300-812, figs. S).— An 

 account is given in cousiderable detail of studies carried out regarding the 

 influence of warmtli, etherization, wound stimulali(>n, and enzyms on life proc- 

 esses In the potato and lily-of-the-valley as indicated by separation of carbon 

 dioxid, etc. It is held that the suspension of growth during the resting period 

 of plants and the appearance of the buds are not dependent directly on the 

 amount of material present, but that these are affected largely by factors as 

 yet but little known in this connection. 



Life processes in resting portions of plants, II, H. MOller-Tiiurgau and O. 

 Schneidek-Oreixi (Flora, n. ser., 4 {1912), No. 4, pp. 387-440, figs. 6; ahs. in 

 Dot. Centhl., 123 {1013), No. 2, p. 22).— The authors, reporting further investi- 

 gations (see above) made with resting portions of lilac, lily-of-the-valley, horse 

 chestnut, potato, flag, grape, and strawberry plants, state that increase of sugar 

 following warm baths appeared to be not a direct effect thereof, but the result 

 of an intermediate process thereby induced. Cold storage increased, but warm 

 baths decreased the sugar content of the lily-of-the-valley and potato. In these 

 plants warming increased respiration. Increase of reducing sugars also at- 

 tended the close of the resting period. "Wound stimulus was followed by a 

 blight increase of sugar. In general it appears that metabolism is considerably 

 affected by warming, at least toward the end of the resting period, this being 

 apparently due to a stimulative action bringing about an unstable condition 

 of the protoplasm as evidenced by heightened respiration. 



Experiments on shortening the veg-etative period, B. Pater {Ztschr. Pflan- 

 zenzik'ht., 1 {1913), No. 4, pp. 469-471)-— The author reports that of several 

 plants studied which gave some modification of their customary biennial habit 

 in response to controlled conditions (phosphorus manuring, etc.), Conium rnacur 

 latum and Vcrhasciuii phlomoides were induced to behave as annuals. 



Relation of seed size to g'eneral development and anatomy of plants, M. 

 Delassus {Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 157 {1913), No. 25, pp. 1452- 

 1454). — The author reports that the limitation as to general development, and 

 the final disproportion, noted in plants grown from the smaller seeds in case of 

 horse bean, vetch, chick pea, white lupine, squash, and Indian corn, are com- 

 parable with the results previously noted as following partial suppression 

 of reserve materials (E. S. R., 30, p. 132). 



The infliuence of temperature on phototropisni in seedlings of Avena sativa, 

 Miss M. S. de Vries {K. Akad. Wetensch. Amsterdam, Froc. Sect. Sci., 15 {1913), 

 pt. 2, pp. 1170-1174. figs. 2). — The author states that this preliminary report, 

 giving results of studies on phototropism of seedlings of A. sativa, was called 

 forth at this stage by the contribution of Nybergh (E. S. R., 28, p. G30). It is 

 stated that the lack of influence of temperature in phototropic stimulation re- 

 ported by Nybergh is opposed to results obtained by the present author, who 

 claims to have noted a definite influence and established optimal points for 

 warming periods differing in duration. 



On the connection between phyllotaxi^ and the distribution of the rate of 

 growth in the stem, J. H. van Burkom {K. Akad. Wetensch. Amsterdam, Proa. 

 Sect. Sci., 15 {1913), pt. 2, pp. 1015-1020, figs. 5).— This is a statement prelimi- 

 nary to the author's forthcoming thesis regarding periodic measurements made 

 on various plants in the botanical garden at Utrecht. 



Along with curves and other data presented, the statement is made that in 

 Asparagus officinalis, Gingko hiloba, Eedera colchica, and TJniun usitatissimuni 

 growth increased regularly from below upward to a maximum, decreasing 



