330 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



treats of the auiylaso of resting barley. The results socured by different in- 

 vestigators are briefly noted and the data obtained in experiments conducted 

 by the authors are shown in tables and discussed. Brief details of isolated 

 observations are given in a suunnary. 



Ordinary aqueous extraction does not indicate the actual amount of amylase 

 present nor does it show the relative amounts contained in the separated struc- 

 tural parts of the grain. When the entire seed is ground up and extracted the 

 amylolytic activity observed is not considered a true measure of the ferment 

 present but simply as indicating the resulting balance of limited solution and 

 destruction. Although extraction by digestion with papain preparations in 

 excess prevents to a great extent the destruction and facilitates the liberation 

 of active ferment, it is regarded questionable as being a correct index of the 

 latent or active amylase present. 



A barley digested first with passive and then with active papain does not yield 

 the same activity as when directly treated with active papain. A sample so 

 treated gave an activity equalling 11.4 gm. of maltose per gram of barley as 

 compared with 13.3 gm. by direct treatment. Treating barley with active papain 

 after antodigestion lowered the acti^ity as compared with direct proteolysis, 

 the results of such a test being 10.4 and 14.6 gm. maltose per gram of barley. 

 Even a short aqueous extraction destroyed some amylase and the action of 

 water at higher temperatures caused rapid destruction. 



The authors found a distinct increase in the amount of soluble nitrogen in 

 autodigestions as compared with the amount found in an aqueous extract. In 

 aqueous extracts of 2 barleys 28 and 30 mg. of salts, and in autodigestions of 

 the same samples 42 and 46 mg. per 100 cc. were found. 



Crude protein obtained from barley and treated with active papain showed 

 no amylolytic activity. A test of the residue from an alcoholic extraction 

 showed that considerable destruction bad taken place as no active enzym was 

 found i)resent. 



Edestin was extracted by a 10 per cent solution of sodium chlorid and pre- 

 cipitated by ammonium sulphate. The precipitate was redissolved in 10 per 

 cent sodium chlorid and dialysed for some days against distilled water, and the 

 separated edestin filtered off. dissolved in salt, and again dialysed to remove 

 traces of soluble amylase. This edestin dissolved in a minimum of salt solution 

 was partly treated with active papain and in part directly but in neither case 

 was amylolytic activity observed. Crude translocation amylase precijiitated 

 from the first filtrate with 70 per cent alcohol was soluble in water and very 

 active. After being dry for a few days it was no longer soluble in water but 

 dissolved readily in the presence of salts and gave an active solution. The 

 barley residue from the sodium chlorid solution exhibited a strong amylohy- 

 drolytic power when treated with papain. 



■ The more violent chemical methods of differentiation of proteins are con- 

 sidered inapplicable in this connection. In general the results obtained indicate 

 that tlie higher amylolytic activity as a result of papain treatment is due to 

 liberation and solution of the colloidal ferment and to its protection from 

 destruction. 



Cotton culture, A. VEArvv and J. Coste (Bui. Agr. Algcrie ct Timisie, 14 

 (1908), No. 5, pp. 116-118).— Ahassl, Yanovitch, and Mit-Afflfi Egyptian long- 

 staple cottons were grown in Algeria. An average yield of 1,617 kg. per hectare 

 (1,440 lbs. per acre) of seed cotton was secured. By taking this yield and the 

 price offered for the cotton as a l)asis, it was found that the net returns 

 amounted to 670.80 francs per hectare ($r»4.30 per acre). 



Some conditions influencing cotton production, C. L. Newman (South Caro- 

 lina Sta. Bui. iJfO, pp. 3-31), — This bulletin points out the principal conditions 



