RECENT AVORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 



Joint recommendations of the physiological and biochemical committees 

 on protein nomenclature (Science, n. i^er., 27 (1908), \o. 6V2, pp. o5-'i-5.')i}). — 

 The recommeudatious adopted are (1) that the word " proteid " be abandoned; 

 (2) that the word "protein" shall be used to desii^uate " that group of sub- 

 stances which consists, so far as at present is known, essentially of combina- 

 tions of a-amino acids and their derivatives, e. g., a-aminoacetic acid or glyco- 

 coll; a-amino propionic acid or alanin; phenyl-a-aniino propionic acid or phenyl- 

 alanin; guanidin-aniino valerianic acid or arginlu, etc.. and are therefore 

 essentially polypeptids;" and (?.) that the following terms be used to designate 

 the various groups of proteins: Simple protelns-^that is, protein substances 

 which yield only a-amino acids or their derivatives on hydrolysis; conjugated 

 1 roteins — that is, substances wlilch contain the protein molecule united to some 

 other molecule or molecules otherwise than as a salt; and derived proteins. 



The simple proteins would include albumins, globulins, glutelius, alcohol- 

 soluble proteins, albuml'iolds, histones, and prt)tamlus. The conjugated pi'oteins 

 would include nucleoprotelns. glycoproteins, phosphoproteins, hemoglobins, and 

 lecithoproteins. The derived proteins would Include primary protein deriva- 

 tives and secondary protein derivatives. In the former group proteans, meta- 

 protelns, and coagulated proteins are Included and in the latter proteoses, 

 peptones, and peptlds. 



A sug'g'estion for a new unit of energy, H. P. Armsby (Proc. Soc. Prom. 

 Agr. ScL, 2S (1907), pp. 16'i-]67). — The author's proposition for a new unit of 

 energy has been noted from another publication (E. S. R., 19, p. 704). 



A supposedly new compound from wheat oil, R. A. Gortner (Jour. Amcr. 

 Chem. Soc., 30 (190S), Xo. J/, p. 617). — From wheat oil the author obtained 

 crystals which on recrystallizatlon showed a melting point of 96.5°. The com- 

 pound, he states, contained nitrogen, but the work was discontinued before its 

 character was determined. 



Physical and chemical properties of the fat of the common chestnut, R. 

 Paladino (Rend. Accad. Sci. Fis. e Mat. NapoU, 3. ser., 13 (1907), pp. 89-93; 

 «&,s. in Jour. C'hcm. Soc. [London], 92 {1907), No. 51,1, II, p. 905).— Chestnut 

 fat was found to consist of an oily and a solid portion and the physical and 

 other characteristics of the two sorts of fat were studied. 



The rotatory power of alcoholic extracts of cereal proteids, Lindet and 

 L. Ammann (Ann. Inst. Nat. Agron.. 2. scr.. 6 (1907), No. 2, pp. 233-2J,2).~ 

 The specific rotatory power of proteids from wheat, barley, rye, and maize 

 was measui-ed. According to the author, this property of cereal proteids varies 

 with the concentration of the alcoholic extract. See also a previous note 

 (E. S. R., 19, p. SOS). 



The relation between refraction and iodin value in pork fat and the non- 

 volatile fatty acids insoluble in water, (J. HALFPAAr (ZfscJir. Uiiteri^iicli. 

 Nahr, v. GenussmtL, 1-5 (1908). No. 2, pp. 6V7-7,?). — Variations in th(> iodin value 



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