1917] CURRENT LITERATURE 87 



later "either by germination or by stretching become cells of normal shape." 

 A direct union of two or more individual cells was also observed, the significance 

 of which was not studied. The authors state that "the life cycle of each 

 species of bacteria studied is composed of several subcycles, showing wide 

 morphological and physiological differences. They are connected with each 

 other by the symplastic stage. Direct changes from one subcycle into another 

 occur, but they are rather rare exceptions." It is obvious that if such life 

 cycles are established for bacteria in general, a new field is opened up in bacte- 

 riology. — J, M. C. 



Cane sugar and translocation. — Boysen- Jensen 12 concludes that cane 

 sugar plays an important role in the germination of pea seeds. In the first 

 stages of germination the cane sugar present in the ungerminated seed is used 

 both as building and respiratory material, as is evident from its reduction in 

 amount during the first few days of the process. In the second stage of ger- 

 mination cane sugar is the translocation form of the starch, as is shown by the 

 following facts: (1) there is a higher concentration in the cotyledons than in 

 the axillary organs; (2) the concentration rises with time in the isolated 

 cotyledons and falls in the isolated axillary organs; (3) only inconsiderable 

 amounts of reducing sugars are present in the cotyledons. The author 

 cites several investigations showing the frequent appearance of cane 

 sugar as the translocation form of starch, and concludes by saying 

 that either monosaccharides or disaccharides may be translocation forms 

 of starch, depending upon the character of the plant part. — William 

 Crocker. 



Cabbage yellows. — Gilman 13 has investigated this disease and the relation 

 of temperature to its occurrence. It is a wilt disease caused by Fusarium 

 conglutinans, which is a facultative parasite living in the soil, and under certain 

 conditions becoming destructive to cabbage. It has a high optimum tem- 

 perature and is very resistant to drying. Inoculation experiments were 

 largely successful in inducing the disease, the failures being due obviously to 

 variations in the virulence of the cultures and in the susceptibility of the host. 

 Control plants remained entirely free from the disease. The appearance of the 

 characteristics symptoms is dependent upon a temperature of 17-22 C. or 

 above, lower temperatures preventing the occurrence of the disease. Field 

 observations through three seasons confirmed this relation between the occur- 

 rence of the disease and high temperature. — J. M. C. 



"Boy 

 bei der Keimung von Pisum sativum. Jahrb. Wiss. Bot. 56:43 1-446. 1915- Pfeffer's 



Festschrift. 



» Gilman-, J. C, Cabbage yellows and the relation of temperature to its occurrence. 



Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 3:25-84. pis. 2. figs. 21. 1916. 



ilduhg des Rohrzuckers 



