420 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



have been beg'un on the poisonous plants of the State and a report on 

 the subject will be made later. 



Attention is called to the native thistle {Cnlcus imdulatus) and wild 

 mornino-gloiT {Convolvulus arvensis). Both of these weeds seem to 

 be spreading, and indications are that unless caref ulh' attended to they 

 will prove troublesome. The Russian thistle, which at one time 

 seemed to threaten the crops of the State, has ceased to be trouble- 

 some, and the author states that rarely is a large specimen seen in the 

 vicinity of the station. 



The accumulation of asparagin in legumes grown with insuffi- 

 cient light, P:. BRiiAL {Ann. Agron., 26 {1900), No. 1, pp. 5-19).— Kn 

 account is given of some investigations on a number of white, blue, 

 and 3'ellow lupines grown from September until March in a well- 

 heated greenhouse, but which did not receive anj' direct sunlight after 

 10 a. m. The plants were grown in water cultures and received no 

 nitrogen, but were given potassium phosphate, potassium chlorid, and 

 magnesium sulphate. The seeds were first washed with corrosive sub- 

 limate, germinated between papers, and transferred to the water cul- 

 tures as soon as their roots were well formed. They made good growth 

 and showed no indication of etiolation. 



A large number of plants were examined, the methods being given 

 in detail, and proportionatelv large increases w^ere noted in their 

 asparagin content. White lupines were found to contain as much as 

 50 per cent of their dry weight in asparagin, while the seeds contained 

 but 0.6 per cent. Blue lupines analyzed entire contained 37 per cent 

 of asparagin, and other plants kept for 15 da3's in the dark contained 

 M per cent of their dry weight. In April, the sun having ascended, 

 the house was well lighted and plants analyzed after that time showed 

 progressively less asparagin. Experiments with wheat, sunflowers, 

 and gourds showed no accumulation of asparagin. The results obtained 

 with lupines agreed with those of Prianisnikow.^ 



Other experiments are reported in the same article. Lentils deprived 

 of their cotyledons and placed with their roots in starch solutions took 

 up some of the carbohydrates, and some given both starch and mineral 

 matter made better growth than a check lot without starch. 



White lupines were made to absorb considerable quantities of potas- 

 sium humate through tubes containing solutions of the compound 

 being thrust into their stems. 



Concerning the pectic matter of plants, A. Hebert {Ann. Agron., 

 '26 {1900), No. i, pp. SJf-50).—T\iQ author examined the pulp of ripe 

 fruits and the roots of carrots, beets, etc., for pectin, pectose, pectic 

 acids, etc. The principal substances found were pectin and pectic acid. 

 The pectins give viscid solutions in water and are coagulated b}' the 

 addition of alkalis. When treated with potash they give pectic acid. 



'Landw. Vers. Stat., 52 (1899), No. 1-2, p. 137-164. 



