374 Prof. J. R. Green. On the 



The pi'oteids were investigated in detail by Vines,* who speaks of 

 them as consisting of members of the peptone and globulin classes, 

 the former being soluble in water, the latter in solutions of Nad. 



I. Agencies by ivhich these reserve 'materials are made available -for the 

 use of the Embryo. 



The first two problems divided themselves at once into two sections, 

 the first of which involved the changes in the oil, the second those in 

 the proteids. They were investigated separately. 



(i.) The Oil. 



Both Muntz and Schiitzenberger had suggested the probability of 

 the changes in the oil being due to the action of a ferment. My own 

 work on the proteolytic changes in the germination of the lupinf 

 proved a similar cause in connexion with the proteids of that plant. 

 In endorsing Schiitzenberger's suggestion, Sachs, in 1882, J put it 

 forward as probable, from his investigations on the seed of the date 

 (Phoenix dactylifera) , that the embryo of the young plant, on the 

 onset of germination, formed and excreted ferments to change the 

 reserve materials into a form suitable for absorption. 



Some seeds of Ricinus were germinated for five days, until the 

 young plants had developed a good root system, and about half the 

 endosperm had disappeared. The seeds were then taken up, 

 the endosperms separated from the cotyledons, and the cotyledons 

 from the hypocotyledonary portion of the embryo. Extracts were 

 made of the endosperms and of the cotyledons, the fluids used being 

 5 per cent, salt solution and glycerine, in both of which ferments are 

 known to be soluble. Putrefaction was obviated when the salt 

 solution was used by the addition of 0'2 per cent, of potassic cyanide, 

 which was found efficacious in preventing the appearance of bacteria. 

 In the course of the investigation several such extracts were made, 

 the salt solution ones being, on the whole, the most satisfactory. 



Experiments were then made to ascertain whether, in the extracts, 

 anything was present which was capable of starting chemical changes 

 in the oil, and, if so, whether that body was of the nature of a 

 ferment. The change first to be expected was the splitting up of the 

 oil into fatty acid o.r acids and glycerine. 5 c.c. of the extract of the 

 endosperms was mixed with 10 c.c. of an emulsion of castor oil, and 

 set aside in a test-tube in a bath or incubator, at a temperature of 

 37 C. A control was kept by preparing a similar tube after boiling 



* ' Journal of Physiology,' yol. 3, pp. 93 114. 

 t ' Phil. Trans.,' B, 1887, pp. 39-59. 

 J Op. cit. 



