546 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL VI. No. 1196 



feed. The seeds yield over 40 per cent, of a fatty 

 oil witli the general characteristics of rape oil. 



An alkaloid from lupinus leuccgsis: O. F. 

 Black. The European lupines have teen very 

 extensively studied especially in respect to their 

 alkaloids. No work has been reported on the 

 native species of the plant ■which grow abundantly 

 on western ranges. Lupinus leucopsis, suspected 

 of causing the poisoning of cattle, was tested for 

 alkaloids and gave positive reactions. The alka- 

 loid was thereupon isolated in the following 

 manner: the seeds were finely ground and extracted 

 by macerating at room temperature with 80 per 

 cent., alcohol slightly acidified with HCl. The 

 alcohol was driven off by boiling in vacuo and the 

 residual solution quantitatively precipitated with 

 Mayer's reagent. The precipitate washed and de- 

 composed with HjS, filtered, and the filtrate ex- 

 tracted with chloroform which removed the alka- 

 loid as the hydriodede. On evaporating the solvent 

 the salt remained as lemon yellow needle crystals, 

 mpt. 246°. It could be recrystallized from water 

 or alcohol. The alkaloid, prepared by treating 

 the salt with silver oxide, was colorless and 

 amorphous and resisted attempts to crystallize it. 

 A preliminary analysis indicated that the formula 

 was probably CicH32]SL02HI, which does not corre- 

 spond with the formula of any alkaloid hitherto 

 isolated from lupines. Also the common European 

 varieties when subjected to the same treatment 

 failed to yield any body of a similar nature. It, 

 therefore, seems reasonable to conclude that it is 

 a new alkaloid. It is intended to continue work 

 on it when more material can be procured. 



On the histology and chemistry of secretory and 

 nectary glands of the cotton plant: A. Viehoever 

 and E. E. Stanford. The occurrence, distribu- 

 tion, and histology of secretory as well as nectary 

 glands has been established. Microphotographs 

 have been prepared which show clearly the struc- 

 ture and lysigenetic character of the secretory 

 glands. The chemistry of these glands is under 

 investigation, and while not yet completed, very 

 interesting results have been obtained. The glands 

 located in parts not exposed to light, especially in 

 seeds and roots, contain gossypol, while those of 

 insolated parts, namely, stems, leaves, bolls and 

 flowers, contain qvierimeritrin and anthocyans. 

 Other genera belonging together with Gossypium 

 to Hibisceae have been studied in regard to the 

 presence of secretory glands. While some of the 

 genera did not show them, others, especially Thur- 

 ieria (wild cotton) showed these glands very con- 



spicuously and very similarly arranged as in the 

 case of cotton plants. 



Studies on edible and poisonous ieans of the 

 Lima type {Phaseolus lunatus) : A. Viehoever, C. 

 O. EwiNG and M. G. Mastin. Work on cyano- 

 genesis consisted of the investigation of poisonous 

 and edible beans of the Lima type, Phaseolus 

 lunatus. Examination of a considerable number 

 of domestic Lima beans disclosed the fact that 

 they aU yield hydrocyanic acid under certain con- 

 ditions, the amount of which, however, does not 

 exceed 10 mg. per 100 gm. of beans. Foreign 

 beans of the same type, imported from the Orient 

 or South America, were found to contain in cer- 

 tain instances a considerably higher amount. As 

 a result of these findings a large number of 

 shipments of such beans, especially Eangoon or 

 Burma beans, were excluded from import. The 

 glucoside, yielding hydrocyanic acid, has been 

 isolated and its characteristics determined. This 

 facilitated the working out of a satisfactory re- 

 liable method for obtaining the maximum avail- 

 able amount of hydrocyanic acid from the beans. 

 It also assisted in experiments concerning the re- 

 moval of the glucoside from the bean. 



Oxalic acid in foods and spices: A. Viehoever, 

 W. P. KuNKE, and M. G. Mastin. A large num- 

 ber of common foods and spices have been exam- 

 ined for the presence of oxalic acid and its salts. 

 In some instances this has been supplemented by 

 quantitative determinations, namely: Ehubarb 

 stalks, contained 0.39 per cent, of oxalic acid and 

 rhubarb leaves contained 0.84 per cent., in the form 

 of soluble oxalates and insoluble calcium oxalate. 

 These amounts were found in fresh material ob- 

 tained on the market. In the dried root of rhu- 

 barb, used as a drug, the amount of oxalic acid 

 was 10.77 per cent., being present in the form of 

 calcium oxalate. No soluble oxalates were found. 

 The amount found in spinach was 0.82 per cent., 

 and that in sweet potatoes 0.10 per cent. In beets, 

 0.17 per cent., and in dried figs 0.21 per cent. 

 Dasheen contained 0.49 per cent., and the common 

 bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) 0.4 per cent. Acheen 

 pepper, containing usually a varying amount of 

 more er less undeveloped fruit, showed 1.61 per 

 cent, oxalic acid in the solid, almost developed 

 fruits, and 3.39 per cent, in the fruits which were 

 more or less empty. The amount of oxalic acid 

 found in ground pepper can possibly be used to 

 detect the presence of added pepper shells. 



(To he continued) 



