524 ' EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD, 



scribes the properties and metliods of isolation from soil humus of a-mono- 

 hydroxystearic acid (CisHssOs), paraffinic acid (C24H4SO2), and lignoceric acid 

 (C24H4SO2). The soil from which the monohydroxy stearic and paraffinic acids 

 were isolated was an Elkton silt loam almost white in color, high in clay and 

 silt, and containing 0.53 per cent of organic carbon and 0.066 per cent of 

 nitrogen. The lignoceric acid was isolated from a peat soil containing 27 per 

 cent of organic matter. 



The presence of arginin and histidin in soils, O. Schreiner and E. C. 

 Shorey (Jour. Biol. Chem., 8 (1910), No. 5, pp. 381-3S4, pi. i).— This article 

 reports the isolation from a clay soil of histidin and arginin, products of the 

 decomposition of organic nitrogenous matter in the soil. These compounds were 

 usually found together but in varying proportions depending upon the protein 

 compounds from which they were derived. A modification of the Kossel and 

 Kutscher method of precipitation with silver sulphate was used in the isolation 

 of the compounds. 



Pyrimidin derivatives and purin bases in soils, O. Schreiner and E. C. 

 Shorey (Jour. Biol. Chcm., 8 (1910), No. 5, pp. 385-393, pi. i).— This paper 

 reports the isolation from a loam soil of cytosin, xanthin, and hypoxanthiu, 

 products resulting from the decomposition of nucleoproteids present in the 

 plant and animal remains that find their way into the soil. Since the purin 

 bases were found in the majority of the soils examined and are easily changed 

 from one form to another through the activity of enzyms or micro-organisms, 

 the authors suggest that further investigation may establish some relation 

 between the presence of some one of these bases and the presence of some 

 particular micro-organism or combination of biological factors. 



Methoxyl in soil org-anic matter, E. C. Shorey and E. C. Lathrop (Jour. 

 Amer. Chem. Soc, 33 (1911), No. 1, pp. 75-78).— Methoxyl was found (by the 

 Zeisel method) in small amounts in all but 2 of 10 soils widely varying in 

 type and character of organic matter. The quantity of methoxyl bore no con- 

 stant relation to, and is perhaps an unimportant part of the total organic 

 matter of, the soil. It is probably derived from the decay of vegetable matter 

 in the soil, and its variation in soils of the same type indicates " some funda- 

 mental difference in the chemical, physical, or biological factors that decide in 

 what way a complex oi'ganic comiwund shall break down or decay when added 

 to a soil." 



Glycerids of fatty acid in soils, O. Schreiner and E. 0. Shorey (Jour. 

 Amer. Chem. Soc., 33 (1911), No. 1, pp. 78-80). — Glycerids were obtained from 

 the Elkton silt loam as the final step in the treatment which resulted in the 

 isolation of a-hydroxystearic acid and paraffinic acid. The alcoholic filtrate 

 from the lead precipitate of paraffinic acid was freed from lead by hydrogen 

 sulphid and the alcohol evaporated, which left an orange-colored oil that 

 proved to be a mixture of glycerids of fatty acids. It is believed that the 

 presence of glycerids in the soil can i>erhaps best be explained on the ground 

 that they are unchanged plant residues that have resisted decomposition. 



Paraffin hydrocarbons in soils, O. Schreiner and E. C. Shorey (Jour. 

 Amer. Chcm. Soc., 33 (1911), No. 1, pp. 81-83). — The hydrocarbon, heutriacon- 

 tane (C31 H64), was isolated from a peaty soil from North Carolina containing 

 27 per cent of organic carbon. There was nothing to indicate that it may not 

 be an unchanged plant residue. 



Toxic substances excreted by plant roots in the soil, K. Rordam (Haven, 10 

 (1910), Nos. 22, pp. 275-282; 23, pp. 287-290; 2',, pp. 297-301).— This is a his- 

 torical sketch with a brief review of recent studies relating to the subject of 

 soil fertility. 



