192 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIV. No. 867 



relative phosphorus deficiencies in soils than the 

 determination of total phosphorus which had here- 

 tofore been made use of at that station in ascer- 

 taining the relative phosphatic requirements. 

 Composition of the Timothy Plant at Different 



Stages of Growth: L. D. Haigh and P. F. 



Trowbridge. 



The following table shovps the per cents, of 

 plant food constituents on the dry basis in the 

 timothy plant at different stages. The per cent, 

 of moisture is highest in the young timothy plant 

 and shows a steadily declining value up to full 

 ripening. 



The plant food constituents other than carbo- 

 hydrates have their highest percentage value be- 

 fore the head forms, as these are taken up most 

 rapidly at this time. After heading out the carbo- 

 hydrates are formed more rapidly, so that the per- 

 centage values of the other constituents decrease 

 even while they are still being taken up. 



The timothy plant, as a whole, takes up large 

 amounts of nitrogen and mineral matter in the 

 young stages but the amounts at any stage become 

 less as ripening approaches. Nitrogen-free extract 

 is formed at an increasing rate as the plant 

 ripens. 



The heads of the timothy increase in all its 

 constituents during growth and ripening. As the 

 seed ripens, a large increase of phosphoric anhy- 

 dride occurs. This increase is not at the expense 

 of some other part, but a distinct addition from 

 the soO. From blossoming to the nearly ripe con- 

 dition the phosphoric anhydride increases from 

 27.01 to 50.17 pounds per acre in the total plant. 



The stalks increase in amount of total dry mat- 

 ter during growth and ripening, but a decrease 

 occurs in the amount of nitrogen and ether soluble 

 material during ripening. This is due, partly to 

 dead leaves falling from the stem, and partly to 

 transference of this material to the heads. 



The bulbs increase in dry matter during growth, 

 the amount then remains constant during ripening. 

 The principal constituents added are nitrogenous 

 matter and nitrogen-free extract, but no starch is 

 formed in the bulbs at any stage. The potassium 



oxide and phosphoric anhydride remain about 

 constant in amount from the time of heading to 

 full ripening. 



A large amount of potassium oxide especially 

 is required for the growth of the timothy plant. 

 One ton of air-dry timothy hay cut when nearly 

 ripe will remove twenty-five pounds of potassium 

 oxide and sixteen pounds of phosphoric anhydride 

 from the soU. 

 The Detection and Determination of Small Quan- 



ties of Ethyl Alcohol, Methyl Alcohol and 



Formic Acid: E. F. Bacon. 

 The Determination of Malic Acid: P. B. Dunbae 



and R. F. Bacon. 



The Detection of Bemoio Acid in Coffee Extract: 



Hermann C. Lythgoe and Clarence E. Marsh. 



Coifee extract contains a substance which will 

 give a reaction for benzoic acid. Acidify the 

 sample, extract with ether, extract the ether with 

 ammonia and evaporate the ammoniaeal solution 

 to a small volume and add manganese sulphate 

 which will remove the disturbing substance. Fil- 

 ter, add ferric chloride and in the presence of 

 benzoic acid a dark greenish precipitate occurs. 

 Evaporate to dryness, sublime, take the melting 

 point of some of the crystals and prepare the 

 ammonium salt with the rest which will give the 

 characteristic precipitate with ferric chloride if 

 benzoic acid is present. 

 The Composition of Tincture of Ginger: H. C. 



Lythgoe and L. I. Nurenberg. 



Several tinctures were made from Jamaica, 

 African, Cochin and oleoresin gingers using al- 

 cohol of varying strength (approximately 95 per 

 cent., 75 per cent., 50 per cent, and 25 per cent.), 

 with the view of ascertaining the influence upon 

 the composition. It was found that alcohol of 

 70 per cent, or more, especially in the case of 

 Jamaica ginger, gave approximately the same 

 amount of alcohol-soluble solids. The total and 

 water-soluble solids increase as the strength of 

 alcohol used decreases, and when the latter goes 

 below 70 per cent, the alcohol soluble solids de- 

 crease. Of the tinctures made from oleoresin 

 ginger, the one made from 95 per cent, alcohol 

 was the only one which showed any appreciable 

 amount of ginger resins. 

 The Volatile Acidity of Tragacanth and other 



Glims: W. O. Emery. 

 ATeron (Ohio) Water: Some Treatment for Bath 



and Laundry: Charles P. Fox. 



{To he continued) 



