962 AGRICULTURAL BOTAXY, CHKJnSTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF PLANTS 



8) As regards cellulose, during the first 30 days some increase in its 

 ciuantity is observable, due to eneigetic synthesis of chitin, which masks 

 the loss of the crude cellulose. In the second month this synthesis slows 

 down, and the deccmpobition of cellulose then becomes evident. 



9) With respect to fats, the results are that, in the course of the first 

 30 days, their splitting up is masked by the synthesis due to Fusarium ; 

 in the second month, the breaking up process predominates, and a final 

 loss of 21 to 51 % results. Under the influence of Fusaritmi, the iodine 

 index of the fatty substance diminishes, while the acidity index increases, 

 which means that in the splitting up of fats by Fusarium two processes 

 occur concurrentl)^ ; saponification of the glycerides, and oxidation of 

 the unsaturated acids. 



10) The percentage of acidity in the watery solution does not ir- 

 crease. 



11) The quantity of mono-saccharides in the cultures of Fusarium 

 is small and does not grow. 



12) In a thirty days culture, no disaccharides were found which could 

 be inverted with a i % solution of hydrochloric acid ; after 60 days, they 

 are present in a minute C|uantity (up to 0.25 '^-y). 



13) In view of the wide occurrence of "intoxicating bread" in the 

 northern and central Governments of Russia, produced not only by Fusa- 

 rium roscum, but by other forms of Fusarium also, the writer urges that 

 the utmost attention should be given to the phenomenon in question. 



743 - Change in the Specific Gravity and in the Starch and Dry Matter Content of 



Potatoes during Storage. — Szell L, in A'/stV/t/Hi^y/ Kozlemenyek (Bulletin of Hun- 

 garian Agronomic Stations), Vol. XVIII, Part 5-6, pp. 1020-1028. Budapest, 1913. 



In October 1913, two varieties of potato : " Richter-Imperator " and 

 " Up to date " from the 1913 crop were stored, partly in. heaps on the field 

 and partly in cellars. In the cellar- stored potatoes the specific gravity 

 and the content of starch and dry substance were determined every fort- 

 night ; the same figures for the other potatoes were determined before 

 stacking up and after storage. The results brought out thf following 

 facts : 



The specific gravity and the contents of starch and dry substance 

 (deduced from the specific gravity) increased generally in both varieties 

 during cellar storage, but decreased in the field-stored potatoes. It fal- 

 lows that it is more economic to store potatoes in well-ventilated cellars 

 than in heaps. 



The increase in specific gra\dty of these two varieties of potatoes stored 

 in cellars did not take place regularly, except before the tubers germinated. 

 This must be attributed on the one hand to the different factors acting on 

 the stored potatoes, such as healthy condition, respiration, germinating 

 stage of the tuber, dampness of cellars, temperature, etc., and on the 

 other hand to the fact that the results of the different m.ethods of determin- 

 ing the specific gravity are influenced by the following factors : size, shape, 

 maturity, hollows in the tubers, structure of skin, depth of eyes, adhesion 

 of the water to the surface of the tubers, etc. 



