Germination of the Seed of the Castor-oil Plant. 375 



the 5 c.c. extract. No change was apparent for some hours, but 

 gradually the unboiled tube became acid, while the control remained 

 unchanged. Different extracts varied somewhat in the amount of 

 acidity thus caused, but the difference between the boiled and un- 

 boiled tubes was soon evident. A fairly typical experiment is sub- 

 joined : 



Tube F was prepared by mixing the extract and the emulsion of 

 castor oil in the proportions given above, and was put into an in- 

 cubator at 12.30 o'clock on August 22, 1888. A boiled control was 

 put wjth it, labelled F T . Both were carefully made neutral. At 

 4 P.M. 10 drops litmus solution were added to each. F was acid, F 1 

 neutral. The degree of acidity was in this short time only slight, 

 and addition of O'l c.c. of Na 2 C0 3 solution of 0'3 per cent, strength 

 again neutralised it. Replacing the tubes in the incubator and 

 leaving them till next morning, F had again become acid. A further 

 addition of the same alkali was made to the contents of this tube, and 

 neutrality was obtained when 1'75 c.c. had been added. The action 

 had been, during the longer exposure, more than proportionately 

 vigorous. No change took place in the control tube. 



A similar set of experiments with, the extract of the cotyledons 

 failed to produce any evidence of ferment action, the reaction of the 

 liquids always remaining unchanged. 



So far as the oil is concerned, therefore, the experiments confirm 

 the hypothesis of Schiitzenberger, that there is a ferment in the seeds 

 which can develop fatty acid from the oil. 



Another experiment was then 'carried out, extending over a longer 

 time, dialysing tubes being used instead of glass vessels. The extracts 

 were prepared by salt solution (5 per cent. Nad + 02 per cent. 

 KCN), and were dialysed before use till nearly free from NaCl, this 

 being found to hinder the action somewhat. The proportion of KCN 

 was kept constant during the experiment. 



One fluid ounce of castor oil was made into a thick emulsion with 

 gum and 10 c.c. of the dialysed extract stirred into it. This was 

 put into a dialysing tube and suspended in 200 c.c. of a solution con- 

 taining 0'6 per cent. NaCl and 0'2 per cent. KCN (No. 1). A 

 control was prepared in the same proportion, boiling the 10 c.c. 

 extract (No. 2). The two were kept in the incubator for a week. 

 During this time the emulsion in No. 1 became gradually purple, and 

 then reddish ; that in No. 2 remained blue. The reactions of the 

 dialysates did not change. 



On concentrating the two dialysates at the end of the experiment, 

 glycerine was detected in that of No. 1, while No. 2 contained none. 



The ferment in the extract had liberated fatty acid and glycerine, 

 and both had become traceable. It was noteworthy, too, that the 

 body causing the acidity had not passed through the dialyser. 



