233 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY 



der with moist sawdust ; then place upon 

 the sawdust between two blue litmus papers 

 a few wheat seeds. Cover with a little of 

 the moist sawdust. After germination, ex- 

 amine the litmus paper. 



Questions. ( i ) What was the reaction of 

 the rootlets upon the litmus paper? (2) 

 How was the material which caused the re- 

 action produced? (3) What does this sug- 

 gest as to the solvent action of plant roots? 

 (4) How would the dry matter of the ger- 

 minated seeds compare with that of the origi- 

 nal seeds? 



334. Change of Fats to Starch. 



In germination, the fats are first broken 

 up into fatty acids and then con- 

 verted into starch, soluble carbohydrates as dextrin and 

 invert sugars. It is estimated that 887 parts of fat will 

 produce 1700 parts of starch by the simple addition of 

 oxygen from the air. Ferment action causes this change 

 to take place. In the oil seeds, about twice the amount 

 of reserve food is stored in the same space in the form of 

 fat as in other seeds in the form of starch. 



335. Change of Insoluble Proteids to Soluble Forms. 



The proteid compounds of seeds, present mainly in 

 insoluble forms, are converted by ferment action into 

 soluble forms as proteoses. Some of the soluble pro- 

 teids are broken down into amides which are then in con- 

 dition to be transported through the plant tissues and 

 used as building material. After passing through the cell 

 walls, these compounds are reconstructed into proteids. 



