* 
1906] CURRENT LITERATURE 227 
for the tobacco plant, and on the application of magnesia in the form of mag- 
nesium sulfate for the rice plant. UvyEDA gives an extended account of a new 
phytopathological bacterium (Bacillus Nicotianae) which produces a serious 
isease known as stem-rot and black-leg of tobacco. Horr gives an account 
of a smut on the cultivated bamboo. The fungus attacks the young internodes 
of growing branches, and as it may infect these at any time during the growing 
season, whole forests of bamboo often become infected. As the bamboo fur- 
nishes material for building as well as for household utensils and fences, the 
damage thus caused is considerable. The fungus is referred to Ustilago Shir- 
aiana P. Henn.—H. HassE.srine. 
Respiratory enzymes.—PALLADIN announces his adherence to the theory 
of Bacn and Cuopat, that normal respiration depends upon the presence of 
x) oxidizable substance and 2) two enzymes, whose mixture was formerly desig- 
nated oxidase, @) oxygenase, which has, attached to various radicals, the char- 
acteristic peroxid or hydroperoxid group O'O or O'OH and serves to transfer 
O., and b) peroxydase, which is a catalyser and renders active the oxygenase. 
When oxidative processes do not occur it is because one or two of the three are 
wanting. The less stable oxygenases, and those which with water quickly become 
hydroperoxids, are used up promptly, giving rise to some of the respiratory 
CO.; so that often tests do not show any “oxidase” present in plant parts; 
but the peroxidases, which are very stable, can always be foun 
rom his researches PaLLaptn concludes? that the cieeiionie of one or 
the other enzyme is connected with the stage of development of the plant. For 
anaerobic respiration prevails in embryonal organs and in lower plants, which 
alone are capable of anaerobic life. In the embryonal stage oxygenase is at a 
minimum, increasing with the passage into active life, and diminishing in organs 
which have ceased to gr 
Miss PRIS ahi '© working under PALLADIN’s direction, finds in frozen 
onions and their sap no oxygenase, but xydases whose quantity increases 
with respiratory activity, if H.O. be siotied ee continues to do so even when 
respiration falls. Katalase, however, is present in the sap after the freezing. 
These researches are more and more justifying the opinion that the origin of 
Somer lt CO, is very complex, and that more than one catalyser is taking 
n the dissociation.—C. B 
Ancient history of ferns.—ArBER* has tech together the recent develop- 
ment of knowledge in reference to the history of ferns in a short paper that brings 
9 PALLADIN, W., Bildung der verschiedenen Atmungsenzyme in Abhangigkeit 
oe Entwicklungstadium des Pflanzen. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesells. 24:97-107. 
Igo 
pie to cae Bo T., Bildung der ae in verletzten Zwiebeln von 
tum Cepa. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesells. 24:134-141. 1906. 
 ARBER, E. A. ae On the past history of pee Annals of Botany 20: 
215-2 a2. 1906. 
