Oct. 1,1919 Notes on the Composition of the Sorghum Plant 21 



three fractions brilliant octahedral crystals of calcium oxalate separated. 

 Their crystal form, together with their solubilities/ established their 

 identity as calcium oxalate. They were removed by filtration and wash- 

 ing and the filtrates concentrated to thick sirups. All three again pro- 

 duced the same kind of crystals; in this case they were spherical masses, 

 consisting of brilliant radiating needles. The sirups were diluted with 

 water, and the crystals filtered off and recrystallized three times. On igni- 

 tion they left no ash; they dissolved in large quantities of boiling water; 

 they decomposed at 286°-288° C. It is believed they are crystals of the 

 "impure leucine" described by Hawk {8, p. 4g2) and by Abderhalden 

 (2, p- 559), who designates them 1-leucin, and states a decomposition 

 point of 293°-295° C. Shorey {15) isolated a compound from Hawaiian 

 cane juice that is no doubt identical with the present one. 



The three filtrates were again concentrated to a thick sirup. That 

 from the lead acetate fraction yielded a very small quantity of crystals 

 of two forms — one, long prisms; the other, flat hexagons. Both were 

 insoluble in cold water, alcohol, and dilute acetic acid, but soluble in 

 dilute sodium- hydroxid solution. The hexagonal plates when dissolved 

 in hot water and treated with lead acetate slowly produced a dark color, 

 showing the possibilities of its being cystin. The amount of material 

 available was too small to perform any further tests. The long prism- 

 shaped crystals could not be identified, although they had the appear- 

 ance of aspartic acid. 



The filtrates from the last crop of crystals of the mercuric nitrate and 

 the lead subacetate fractions, after standing for some time, deposited 

 small quantities of wedge-shaped crystals. They were slightly soluble 

 in water, insoluble in alcohol and in ether, decomposed at 207°-2io° C. 

 (Abderhalden states 213° C. for d-1-asparagin) , were acid in reaction, 

 liberated ammonia when treated with alkali, and gave the pyrrol test 

 (jj) for asparagin. These reactions indicate that the crystals were 

 d-1-asparagin. Maxwell found both asparagin and aspartic acid in 

 cane juices. Later, Shorey {14) found that glycocoll is the "principal 

 amid" of sugar cane, and that asparagin is not present. Since our 

 preparation liberated ammonia with alkalies, it is no doubt not glycocoll. 

 Attempts to isolate the latter have failed. 



The filtrates were neutralized with calcium carbonate, filtered, and con- 

 centrated. Nothing deposited from the lead subacetate fraction, but 

 from the mercuric nitrate fraction needle-like crystals, interspersed with 

 further crystals of asparagin, were found. The quantity was too small 

 for identification, although the crystals answer the description of the 

 glutamin identified by Zerban {22) in sugar-cane juice, and glutamin 

 almost invariably accompanies asparagin in plant juices. 



' These crystals were soluble in s per cent hydrochoric acid, insoluble in dilute ammonium hydroxid 

 and dilute acetic acid. 



