68 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1071 



Emerson E. Miller: Volatile Oils of Several 



Species of Eupatorium. 



Eupatorium capillifolium (Lamb.) Small. Of 

 considerable interest owing to its abundance, 

 yield of oil and especially its chief constituent, 

 the dimethyl ether of thymohydroquinone, form- 

 ing 50 to 60 per cent, of the oil. Other constituents : 

 terpenes (20 to 25 per cent.), consisting of one or 

 more pheUandrenes and another terpene, prob- 

 ably d-a-pinene; borneol; bornyl acetate, other 

 esters; acetic acid, other volatile fatty acids, prob- 

 ably butyric, valerianic and caproic; linalool (?); 

 traces of salicylic acid and an unidentified white 

 solid. Only two other plants known to yield 

 above named ether. 



E. Serotinum Michs. yield 0.4 per cent. Phys- 

 ical properties of oil indicate mainly sesquiter- 

 penes. 



E. perfoliatum, L. Very small yield of a slightly 

 bluish-green oil. 



E. hyssopifolium L., E. purpureum L., yielded 

 no oil by steam distillation. 



Abstract from Bulletin No. 693, University of 

 Wisconsin. 



Emekson R. Miller: The Volatile Oil of Achil- 

 lea Millefolium L. 



Because of its beautiful deep blue color this oil 

 is of interest apart from any practical value it 

 may have. 



In addition to the high boiling constituent the 

 oil contains the following: Z-a-pinene, (?-a-pinene, 

 Himonene, Z-borneol, Z-camphor, cineol, two alde- 

 hydes, salicylic acid, acetic acid, two other vola- 

 tile acids, at least one non-volatile acid, a high 

 boiling compound and a compound of mint-like 

 odor. 



The blue constituent was obtained from both 

 the leaves and flower heads, but is contained in 

 very small amount in the former. 



Submitted for publication as a University Bul- 

 letin, University of "Wisconsin. 

 Emerson E. Miller: Some Volatile Oils from the 



Genus Pycnanthemum. 



On account of their aromatic qualities this is a 

 very attractive group of plants. 



In the order named the yield of oil from the 

 fresh flowering herb of the following species was 

 0.7-0.8 per cent; 1.2-1.3S per cent.; 0.5-0.7 per 

 cent. 



Pycnanthemum Tullis Benth. Constituents: 

 (i-pinene, Od — i6.7°, 15-20 per cent.: cineol, 50- 

 60 per cent.; geraniol, linalool (?) together, 15- 

 20 per cent.; salicylic acid; acetic acid and other 

 volatile fatty acids; esters calculated as geranyl 

 acetate, 1-2 per cent. The oil from a form of this 



species contained 50-53 per cent, of olefinie terpene 

 alcohols, largely geraniol and 7-8 per cent, of ester 

 calculated as geranyl acetate. 



P. incanum (L.) Michx. This oil contained 90- 

 92 per cent, of ketone, consisting largely, if not 

 entirely, of pulegone. 



P. lanceolatum Pursh. Constituents: carvacrol, 

 13-53 per cent.; geraniol, pulegone; probably also 

 pinene and limonene. 



Preliminary report. 



W. J. V. Osterhout: Artificial Photosynthesis hy 



Means of Chlorophyl. 



If Schryver's test for formaldehyde is speeifle, 

 experiments show that formaldehyde produced 

 from chlorophyl acting in presence of carbonic 

 acid in sunlight is due to the decomposition of the 

 chlorophyl and not to photosynthesis, as has been 

 supposed to be proved. Such other pigments as 

 methyl green, iodine green and a variety of other 

 stains, exposed to sunlight under the same con- 

 ditions as chlorophyl, also give the test for formal- 

 dehyde. It seems probable that artificial photo- 

 synthesis by means of sunlight has not yet been 

 accomplished. 



W. E. Tottingham: The Bole of Chlorine in 



Plant Nutrition. 



Water cultures of various plants have shown 

 marked stimulating effect of chlorides on root 

 development. Sand cultures of mangel-supplied 

 sodium and chlorine separately and combined 

 have developed most favorably in the latter case. 

 Soil cultures of sugar beet in the greenhouse-sup- 

 plied sodium chloride have exceeded in yield con- 

 trol, unfertilized cultures. Other cultures receiv- 

 ing sodium nitrate, dicalcium phosphate and po- 

 tassium chloride have produced greater yields than 

 cultures receiving sodium nitrate, di-calcium 

 phosphate and potassium sulphate. The percent- 

 age of sucrose in the dry matter has been in- 

 creased also where the chlorine was added. Plot 

 experiments in the field with sugar beet under the 

 environment obtaining at Madison, Wis., have pro- 

 duced increased yields due to the application of 

 sodium chloride. The increase in terms of suc- 

 rose has reached five hundred pounds per acre in 

 excess of the control plots. It is purposed to ex- 

 tend this investigation to include a variety of 

 plants and more than one cycle of growth and 

 reproduction, in the belief that, with some plants 

 at least, chlorine may be found to function in 

 specific nutrient effects. 

 G-. S. FRAPS: Nitrification Studies. 



The quantity of nitrates found in 334 soils after 

 12 weeks is, on an average, related to the total 



