40 



the catabolic process in the leaves is a predominant factor during 

 maturation, the decreasing amount of pentosane and crude fibre in 

 the leaves at maturity signifies nothing but the transformation of 

 these stable carbohydrates into other substances. It is, therefore, 

 quite conceivable that the carbohydrates tinder consideration serve 

 as reserve materials, in certain cases, in the vegetative parts of plant. 

 Cotyledons of Phaseolus vulgaris were found to have a decreasing 

 amount of pentosane, when in a state of germination, i. c. at the 

 time when the easily convertible reserve materials of the cotyledons 

 are exhausted in furnishing nutrients for the development of the young 

 plant, (v. K. Miyake, Jour. Col. Agr. Tokoku, Vol. IV, No. 8334). 

 In other words, pentosane is transformed into other substances 

 when the catabolic action predominates in the cotyledons. It 

 might be surmised that there is a decrease of crude fibre in the 

 cotyledons of phascolus vulgaris at the stage of germination, in 

 which the pentosane is disappearing, as in the case of the leaves of 

 the rice plant. 



The grain has an increasing amount of pentosane and caide 

 fibre during maturation, while the percentage of these carbohydrates 

 declines, owing to the increase in the amount of starch and protein. 

 A greater part of these carbohydrates is used in the formation of 

 chaff, but not of husked rice, because the latter usually contains about 

 i.$ % of pentosane and i.o % of crude fibre. 



Inorganic Ingredients, 



The distribution of inorganic ingredients in the different parts 

 of the rice plant, and the variation of their absolute amounts, at 

 successive stages of the plant's growth, will be discussed in the 

 following pages. 



