284 . BOTANICAL GAZETTE [ocronss 
These can only be obtained from material very carefully killed and fixed, 
perhaps after special methods. I must believe that we shall not feel sure of 
the processes in Batrachospermum until the technique of the investigation is 
developed té6 a point much superior to that of either Schmidle or myself.— 
BRADLEY MOORE Davis. 
BARTHOLD HANSTEEN publishes the extended results of his researcheson 
the synthesis of proteids in green phanerogams in Pringsheim’s Jahrbiicher* 
He used Lemna minor, Vicia Faba, and Ricinus communis as experimental 
plants. His summary we translate: 
1. In general, at least, light plays no direct réle in the synthesis of proteids 
in the bodies of green phanerogamous plants. In these the formation of 
proteids occurs in active cells without the influence of light and independent 
of the time of year, if only suitable conditions for growth be present. 
. Glutamin, asparagin, urea, ammonium chlorid or ammonium sulfate 
combine with available grape sugar or—at least the four last named nitrogea 
compounds—with the direct reducing sugar formed in the digestion of 
starch. 
d. Urea or glycocoll generally unite either with available cane sugat ® 
probably indirectly reducing sugar. 
2. The chemical nature of the immediately available carbohydrate is not 
unimportant for proteid synthesis; on it primarily depends whether the 
formation of proteid is effected or not. : 
3. The various amides (amido-acids) or nitrogen compounds are ogee 
ally not physiologically equivalent for proteid formation. The best suited 
for this purpose is urea, whose transformation into proteid occurs a5 Oe 
getically with cane sugar as with grape sugar. On the contrary, api 
alanin, and creatin cannot be looked upon as materials so suitable for af 
making; for even under the most favorable conditions, and equally whet 
direct or indirect reducing sugar in suitable amounts is simultan . 
accumulated in the cells, proteid formation from these compounds tele 
™ Jahrb. f. wiss. Bot. 33 : 417-486. 1899. 
