1896. ] Notes and News. 383 
and S. angusttfolium Miller; notes on Metbomia (Desmodium), by Anna 
Murray Vail; some new and interesting grasses, by F. Lamson-Scrib- 
ner, and others by Geo. V. Nash. 
THE RELATION between calcium and the conduction of carbohy- 
drates has been a subject of investigation by Mr. Percy Groom, who 
lati his results in Annals of Botany (March). His summary is as 
ollows: 
“(1) Acid potassic oxalate retards the action of diastase on starch. 
_ (2) In the living plant the first, and, at the commencement, the only 
visible effect of acid potassic oxalate on the assimilating organs is the 
accumulation of starch, owing to an arrest of the change of the starch 
into sugar. 
(3) The second effect, as the soluble oxalate accumulates, is a re- 
ardation of the manufacture of starch, and hence probably of the 
| ssimilation of carbon. ; 
4) The last effect, with increased accumulation of the oxalate, is 
he death of the protoplasm.” iiegmes tee 
of which indicates that the lack of calcium permits this injuri- 
dus accumulation of acid potassic oxalate, which otherwise would be 
teutralized by the manufacture of calcium oxalate. 
1 
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97 Or before. ay 
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Dr Carlton C. Curtis, tutor in botany 
introduction by Dr. N. L. Britton. 
pete HOPKINs SEASIDE LABORATORY of the Leland Stanford Hap york 
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‘Umer, 
€ laboratory provides 0; portunities for investig: ! 
ted to Carry fe besacetee in morphology or physiology; for 
“nts in the departments of zoology and botany 1n 
Wish to supplement their work under 
Th 
Dre 
sty 
Who 
