128 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [avcust 
tryptic action the filtrates obtained after coagulating the proteids 
of the digestion mixture were frequently tested with Millon’s and 
the biruet reactions, as well as with the tryptophan reaction. The 
ereptic activity was tested with Witte peptone. The antiseptic used 
was toluol. Tests were made of the following tissues: 
1. The embryonic plants in the seeds (exclusive of the cotyledons). 
2. The hypocotyls and plumules from three-day old seedlings; the hypo- 
cotyls were from 2 to 4™ long. ; . 
3. A mixture of the hypocotyls and plumules from six-day old etiolated 
oe . 
4. The roots, stems, and buds of seven-day old seedlings grown in the light 
were tested separately; the roots were copiously branched and the buds were just 
opening from between the cotyledons. 
5. Whole young plants, exclusive of cotyledons, of ten-day old etiolated 
seedlings 
6. The leaves and buds, and the roots and stems, of eleven-day old seedlings 
grown in the greenhouse. 
7- The leaves and buds, stems, and roots of thirteen-day old etiolated 
seedlings. 
8. The same tissues of fourteen-day old non-etiolated plants. 
9. The leaves and the stems of plants twenty-two days old. 
10. The leaves and buds, the upper parts of the stems, the stems from the 
Toot crown to a centimeter above the scars of the cotyledons. 
ae ‘The roots, stems, and leaves of plants just coming into bloom. 
12. The developing seeds and pods 
In every case a guod tryptophan reaction was obtained when ve 
tissues were allowed to autolyze in the presence of Witte peptone * 
no case, with the questionable exception noted below, could evidence 
of the presence of an enzyme capable of attacking native proteids 2 
obtained. The one exception was furnished by the tests conduct 
on young hypocotyls in which edestin was added to the mixtll 
oe tissues and water. In this case a very faint tryptopha : 
Nacton was obtained, sufficient to raise the question of the existen® 
of a tryptase in these tissues. Accordingly the following or 
ment was carried out. Ten grams of minced hypocotyls ( 3 
long) from four-day old bean seedlings were placed in each oe 
flasks and 25°° of water added. One flask was heated for se" 
minutes in the steam sterilizer and then cooled. To each flask Wo 
added 0.25°" of phaseolin, 0.25°" of phaselin, and 1°° of tol 
The corked flasks were kept in the incubator for three days: gt 
