22 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Determination of the fat content of milk by the Wollny refractometer, 

 Naitmann (Milch Zty., ,.'9 [I'JOO), Xox. 4, J'P- oO-oJ, Jiijs. 7; o, pp. 6G-/JS, Jiyx. 4; 6, pjt. 

 84-86, jiijx. ..-*). — A description of the apparatus and necessary reagents and detailed 

 dircctiniis for making the test. 



Reducing- power of taka-diastase, H. A. Huston and A. H. Bkyan {Ind'Ktiin 

 ,Sia. Rjit. 1899, p. 77). — "A sam{)le of taka-diastase . . . was examined by dissolving 

 50 nig. of it in 50 cc. of water, adding 20 or. hydrochloric acid, sp. gr. 1.125, and 

 boiling imder return condenser for 2 hours, iiy this nietliod it was found that 50 

 mg. of taka-diastase reduced to cuprous oxid a (juantity of copper solution yielding 

 17.2 nig. of metallic; copper." 



A new method of standardizing: weig-hts, T. W. Rich akds (Jour. A)nn-. Chnn. 

 Soc, ;.-';.-' (J90(/), Xo. ^i, pp. 144-149). 



Regulations for the testing- of thermometers {Jmir. Amcr. i'luin. Soc, i!2 

 (1900), -Vo. o, pp. I„n-lii9). 



BOTANY. 



The origin and early development of the flo^wers of the cherry, 

 pluni, apple, and pear, E. S. (toff ( Wisconsin Sta. lipi. /.S'.W, 

 pp. 289-303., Jigs. 23). — On account of the lack of siccurate knowlcdo-e 

 as to the formation and early development of the flowers in fruit 

 plants, the authoi" undertook an investig-ation to ascertain the time oi 

 orioiii and the rate of ])rooTess in the flowers of 4 of the most common 

 fi-uit trees, namely, the cherry, plum, a])ple, and pear. 



The methods of study are desci'ilx'd at some length. It appear.s 

 lliat the earliest indications of flower in the cherr}' were in buds taken 

 July 11. Tn the ])luni the Hower ])uds appeared as early as ^\\\\ S. 

 in the :i])])h' the first clear e\'idence of flowers was found in ])uds 

 taken fJiuie ;}(). and in the pear in buds taken July 21. 



The order of developiuent of the various parts of the Mower in dif- 

 ferent fruits seems to be identical. The calvx and receptacle were 

 the tii-st to appe^ir, ])eino- developed at about the same time. Next, 

 the stamens and the petals Avere also formed at nearly the same time, 

 and these were evidently developed as outgrowths from the calyx or 

 from the receptacle. The last to appear was the pistil, and its de\'elop- 

 ment was extremely slow. It was noted that the flowers commenced 

 their growth at about the same time that the wood growth ceased. 

 The l)earing of this fact upon the production of fruit ma}" be readily 

 understood, since un al)undant fruit crop would exhaust the tree to 

 such an extent that the preparation of flowers for the next season 

 would be retarded. 



The morphology of the flower bud is described at some length. It 

 Avas foiuid that an inule\('l<)ped l)ud scale subtends the flower just as 

 the leaf subtends the bud; in other woi'ds. the tlowei' occupiers the 

 ])lace of a gfowing bnmcli in the axil of a bud scale. In the a])ple and 

 j)ear the terminal flower of the flower bud- is most rapidly developed 

 and expands first. The a])ple-flowei- elustei-, therefore, is a (^'iiie. In 



