Germination of the Seed of the Castor- oil Plant. 387 



is what would be expected. It is unlikely to be derived from the 

 fatty acid, for the disappearance of a small quantity of this is accom- 

 panied by the appearance of a small quantity of the lower acid ; it is 

 also unlikely to be derived from the latter, from the fact that both 

 appear synchronously, both increase together, and both are left when 

 the endosperm is finishing its work. Further, the glycerine set free 

 by the decomposition of the oil is sufficient in quantity to account for 

 all the sugar formed.* 



There is, of course, another possible alternative. Vines suggestsf 

 that the glycerine may undergo oxidation at once with acids, and may 

 be therefore represented by the acids found. This, though possible, 

 seems unlikely, as these last are so much more readily traced to the 

 fatty acid part of the disrupted oil molecule, and especially as we are 

 then reduced to the hypothesis that the sugar comes from the lower 

 acids formed, which has been seen to be improbable. 



There is still another theory which needs notice. It is put forward 

 by Vines; to explain what Sachs has said, as to starch resulting from 

 the transformation of fat : " The processes which attend the early 

 stages of the germination of an oily seed may be briefly stated thus : 

 protoplasm undergoes decomposition to form starch, and the continued 

 formation of starch depends upon the reconstruction of protoplasm 

 from the nitrogenous residues of previous decomposition, together 

 with some form of non-nitrogenous organic substance ; the non- 

 nitrogenous substance in question is fat." The argument appears 

 unnecessary now that experiments already quoted show that Sachs is 

 in error as to the formation of starch in the endosperm cells during 

 normal germination, but the form of the carbohydrate is not material, 

 and the hypothesis may be advanced to explain the appearance of 

 sugar. It is clear, however, that, if a direct conversion of some ante- 

 cedent into sugar is possible, it is a much more probable thing than 

 the round-about method suggested. The theory seems called for only 

 to explain an otherwise inexplicable phenomenon, and might as fairly 

 be put forward to explain the appearance of sugar as starch disappears, 

 an appearance which is known to be due to a direct transformation of 

 the latter. 



* Since this paper WM read, Messrs. Brown and Morris hare published in the 

 " Journal of the Chemical Society " (June, 1890) an important research on the 

 germination of some of the Graminese. Some of their results have a bearing on the 

 point under notice. They find that excised barley enibryoes can be nourished on a 

 solution of glycerine, and under such circumstances a considerable amount of 

 growth takes place in them, which is accompanied by the production of starch in 

 their tissues, just as when they are fed with a solution of sugar. The appearance 

 of carbohydrate at the expense of glycerine is established by their experiments. 

 J. R. Q., July 10, 1890. 



f Op. cit., p. 229. 



J Op. cit., p. 206. 



