14 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



guineu {■ovw. Tlio corn contains over 4 per cent of fat. The constants olitained for 

 the fat weri' as follows: Specific gravity at 15° C, 0.9282; melting point of fat, :',!)-40°; 

 melting jxiint of fatty acids, 43-44°; saponilication ecpiivalent of fat, 172.1; saponifi- 

 cation eiiuivalcnt of fatty acids, 175.6; saponification equivalent of free acids, KISG; 

 Hehner's mmiber, 96.1; Reichert-Meissl number, 2.1; iodin number of fat, 98.89; 

 iodin numl)er of fatty acids, 101.63; acetyl number (after Benedict and Ulzer), 9.26, 

 and acetyl number (after Lewkowitsch), 6.85. The ratio of the liquid to the solid 

 acids was as 26.09:72.72. The total content of volatile acids was 0.32 ])er cent. 

 These proved to be valeric and formic, in the ratio of 2:1. 



The fatty acids were converted into ethyl esters, which were subjected to distilla- 

 tion under diminished pressure. The esters in separate fractions were saponilictl, 

 and from the soaps the respective acids were set free and oxydized with potassium 

 permanganate in alkaline solution. 



The conclusions of the author are as follows: 



(1) Among the solid acids, which form 96 per cent of the ether extract of the seed 

 of guinea corn, erucic acid predominates and impresses on the fat some of its own 

 characteristics. 



(2) The erucic acid is accompanied by small (piantities of oleic (ricinoleic) and 

 linoleic acids. 



(3) The simultaneous presence of the predominating erucic acid and of oleic aciil 

 imparts to the fat a certain likeness to the fat of oats, while the linoleic acid imparts 

 a slight resemblance to the fat of maize. 



(4) The presence of a small quantity of linoleic acid accounts for the slow-drying 

 of the fat and for the rapid changeability of guinea-corn flour. 



(5) Besides the acids mentioned, volatile fatty acids and oxyacids are present in 

 the fat of guinea corn, valeric acid predominating among the volatile acids, and 

 ricinoleic acid apparently predominating among the oxyacids. — p. fireman. 



Action of sulphuric acid on legumen, D. P. Peyanishnikov {Izv. Moxcow Selsk. 

 Khoz. Inst. [A)ui. Li.<tt. Agron. Mohcoi('\,S {1903), Xd. 4, 2>P- 375-384).— The present 

 investigation is an attempt to trace quantitatively, step 1)y step, the process of the 

 decomposition of albumen (legumen) under the influence of weak (4 per cent) 

 sulphuric acid. 



The conclusions of the author are as follows: 



(1) Four per cent sulphuric acid acts energetically on albumen on the api)lication 

 of heat, causing a rapid decrease of that body and transforming it into compounds 

 not i^recipitated by cupric oxid. 



(2) Among the latter compounds from the very first stages of decomposition 

 appear substances not jirecapitable by phospho-molybdic acid, increasing rajudly in 

 quantity; toward the end of the experiment two-thirds of the total nitrogen is 

 present in this form. Hence, it is very probable that dilute acid causes the decom- 

 position of albumen to proceed as far as the formation of amido-acids. 



(3) The nitrogen of ammonia as W'ell as of organic bases shows a gradual incrt-ase, 

 the amount of the former reaching one-tenth toward the end of the experiment and 

 of the latter up to two-tenths of the total nitrogen. 



(4) The peptones play the part of an intermediate product, and in accordance with 

 this their amount is large at the ))eginning of the experiment and, after olnaining a 

 certain maximum, falls off toward the end of the experiment. A more correi-t esti- 

 mate of the (|uantity of peptones and similar compounds can be had when the 

 precipitation with tannin is carried out in the absence of copper compounds. — p. 



FIREMAN. 



A new eudiometer, M. Silberbeiui {ZtsrJir. Landir. Ver^uchifV'. Oestevr., 6 {1903), 

 No. 6, pp. 591, 59:2, fig. 1) . 



Resume of tlie reports of the directors of the g-overnment analytical labo- 

 ratories, 1902 {Resume des rapports des direct eurs des laboratoires d' analyses' de I' etat 



