MICRO-ANALYSIS. 



825 



plastic product playing a very important role in plant metabolism. 

 On account of its crystalline character and solubility in water, 

 it is classed among the translocatory substances, appearing not 

 only when proteids are being utilized by the plant, but when 

 they are being formed. The crystals of asparagin are formed 

 rather easily from the expressed juices of young shoots, and may 

 be obtained even in sections upon mounting them in glycerin. 

 The crystals vary in length from 0.3 mm. to 1.5 mm. 



Fig. 330. Berberine sulphate: orthorhombic crystals trom aqueous solution. 



Asparagin occurs in two fomis, one of which is laevo- 

 rotatory and the other dextro-rotatory; the former is the one 

 usually present in plants. At 17.5 C. i part of asparagin is 

 soluble in 47 parts of distilled water; at 98 C, i part is soluble 

 in 1.9 parts of distilled water. 



Asparagin. Crystals from aqueous solutions (Fig. 95). 

 Orthorhombic ( sphenoidal ?) : a: b: c =^ 0.4735 i 0.8273.* 



* Grattarola, Zeitschr. f. Krysfallog., iSg2; 20, p.-6i8.- 



