612 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



relation was observed between the chemically available phosphoric acid and soil 

 deficiency in phosphoric acid, as shown by pot tests in a number of soils. Cotton 

 and cowpeas were found to render more of the phosphoric acid of the soil available 

 than rice or corn. 



The same author presented a paper on The Effect of Climate on the Composition 

 of Cotton Seed. Observations made during two seasons showed that cotton-seed 

 meal from the western part of Texas, where the climate is semiarid, was richer in 

 nitrogen than meal from the eastern part of the State. Texas cotton-seed meal was 

 considered richer than cotton-seed meal from other sections. 



The Fermentation of Sugar Cane Products was the subject of a paper by C. W. 

 Browne, jr. Various changes brought about in sugar cane by enzyms and micro- 

 organisms were described. The number of micro-organisms producing decomposition 

 of sugar-cane products was considered almost unlimited. The most common fermen- 

 tation of the raw juice in Louisiana is a fermentation designated as viscous, mucilag- 

 inous, or mannitic. The gum produced in this fermentation and known as dextran 

 was believed to be either a hydrated product or a polysaccharid isomeric with either 

 rafnnose or stachyose. A fermentation in Louisiana resulting in the formation of 

 cellulose from sugar was described. Both the dextran and cellulose resulting in 

 the above were believed to be assimilation products rather than true fermentation 

 products. 



The scum forming on molasses in hot rooms was found to contain in one instance 

 27.5 per cent of fat which agreed very closely in its physical and chemical constants 

 to butter fat. Its distinguishing characteristics from butter fat were the high degree 

 of acidity and the greater preponderance of such acids as caproic and caprylic. Ref- 

 erence was also made to the common occurrence of dimethyl ketol, or acetyl-methyl 

 carbinol, which compound was believed to be always produced in small amounts 

 whenever the alcoholic fermentation was arrested through the development of oxi- 

 dizing or acid-producing bacteria. 



In a paper on The Quantitative Determination of Salicylic Acid, by W. D. Bigelow 

 and W. L. Dubois, an attempt was made to define as exactly as possible the conditions 

 to be followed in the estimation of salicylic acid, by extracting the organic solvents 

 and comparing the color given with ferric solutions with that of solutions containing 

 known amounts of salicylic acid. It was believed that with proper precautions 

 results can be obtained which are reasonably accurate. 



Papers on the Ripening of Oranges and Persimmons, by W. D. Bigelow, H. C. 

 Gore, and B. J. Howard, were presented in abstract form. Oranges increase in actual 

 weight of total solids and sugars from the beginning to the full maturity of the fruit. 

 At all stages of the growth of the fruit, the total sugars are divided about equally 

 between reducing sugar and sucrose. The marc of the orange is formed very early 

 in its history and remains constant in weight during its growth and development. 

 The acids are also formed at an early stage and apparently increase gradually but 

 almost imperceptibly. 



Storage of the fruit at all stages of its development results in slight loss of total 

 sugar, a marked increase of reducing sugar, and a corresponding loss of sucrose. 

 The loss of total sugar is to be explained by the consumption of reducing sugar as a 

 result of the respiration of the fruit. The weight of marc remains practically con- 

 stant, and the weight of acid appears to decrease slightly on storage during the various 

 stages of the development of the orange. 



The weight of the pulp of persimmons increased steadily during the entire period 

 of observation, and a marked increase was also noted in the case of total determined 

 solids, sugar, and marc. The sugar was found to consist almost entirely of invert 

 sugar. The amount of sucrose was apparently almost within the limits of analytical 

 error. The percentage of acids was also very low. During a later portion of the 



