39 
extract the pigment appears to be very sensitive and may be used 
to advantage in titrimetric work. 
I have named the pigment alkaverdin, because of the beauti- 
ful green produced on treatment with alkali, preferring to reserve 
the term sarracin for any digestive enzyme which later may be 
found to exist in the pitcher. 
Excellent ‘test papers’? have been made with the pigment in 
glycerin extract. Ordinary filter paper dipped into the red, con- 
centrated extract is colorless, wet or dry. The dry paper turns 
a bright pink when dipped into acid, a deep green is produced 
when in contact with alkali. 
The pigment of Sarracenia bears superficial resemblance to the 
coloring matters in red cabbage, the purple flowers of mallow, 
buckthorn berries, elderberry, dahlia and alkanet root, but vari- 
ous tests, thus far, indicate that it is unlike each in fundamental 
qualities. Preliminary observations indicate that its solutions are 
without special influence on the spectrum. A chemical study of 
the qualities of alkaverdin is now in progress. 
The aqueous and saline extracts of Sarracenia contain an 
abundance of dextrorotary, reducing and fermentable substances, 
the characters of which, together with other bodies as yet unde- 
termined, I hope to report in due time. 
WiLuiaM J. GIEs. 
NOTES, NEWS AND COMMENT. 
Dr. J. C. Arthur, professor of plant physiology and pathology 
in Purdue University spent January in the Garden in some work 
upon the plant rusts which he has had under way for several 
years. 
Mr. Percy Wilson, museum aid, started for Honduras early in 
January and will make collections for the Garden in the regions 
near the coast. Mr. Wilson’s work will be greatly facilitated by 
the fact that he is the guest of Mr. Martin Lippmann, who plans 
the establishment of a plantation at Puerto Sierra. 
