320 



cm. deep and was formed entirely from the ramifications of the root of a 

 single Equisetum from which a piece 12 meters long could be separated. 



Mijller-Thurgau experimented with roots from one plant, putting some 

 in a nutrient solution, others in distilled water; each experiment showed a 

 stronger growth in the solution. These experiments showed that root 

 growth increases locally when the roots reach places containing food sub- 

 stances. 



If the drain mats return after removal, it is advisable to take out care- 

 fully both trees and roots by uprooting and not by chopping down. If the 

 trees must remain it is better (especially with double lines of drainage) to 

 lower the surface laid pipes (as a rule between 80 to 90 cm.) to the level of 

 the pipe system lying deeper (1.5 m.). 



Sprouted Grain. 



In the phenomena to be cited here which are connected with an excess 

 of water, injury is caused either by the fact that water from outside acts 

 mechanically on the tissues at an unsuitable time, or the water taken up by 

 the roots cannot find utilization and be carried off in corresponding amounts. 

 To the first group belongs grain si)routed on the field during the harvest 

 because of rain. The disadvantage is the greater in this instance, since the 

 sprouted kernels can neither be used for nutritive purposes nor are they 

 suitable for seed. Of course the germinative capacity for subsequent use 

 as seed decreases according to the amount the kernels have sprouted. 

 Ehrhart^ found that the weakness and thus the mortality of the seedlings 

 increased as their development had already advanced because of the pre- 

 mature sprouting. We owe to Marcker and Kobus- thorough investigations 

 of the changes in the seed due to sprouting. The former investigated barley, 

 half of which was harvested uninjured, but the other half was left standing 

 for almost 14 days, wet through by rain. The differences were shown by a 

 determination of the elements soluble in water, for they amounted to the 

 following in 



Sprouted and in ivell-han'estcd barley 



Soluble starch 1.17 per cent. 1.76 per cent. 



Dextrin 0.00 per cent. i.io per cent. 



Dextrose 4.92 per cent. 0.00 per cent. 



Maltose 7.32 per cent. 3.12 per cent. 



Other soluble substances... 5.23 per cent. 5.64 per cent. 



18.64 per cent. 11.62 per cent. 



A\'c thus see that the vigorous diastase action has resulted in a very 

 abundant sugar formation from the starch and dextrin. The starch con- 

 tent had fallen from 64.10 per cent, to 57.98 per cent., because of the 

 sprouting. If the kernels are used for making starch, the great amount of 



1 Deutsche landwirtsch. Presse, 1881, No. 76. 



2 Aus Braunschweiger landw. Z., 1882, No. 22, cit. in Biedermann's Centralbl. 

 f. Agrikulturchemie, 1883, p. 326. 



