1917] FAUST—RESIN SECRETION 473 
Recently FRANKFORTER (5), working from the biochemical angle, 
has criticized WIESNER’s theory on the ground that it is unreason- 
able to suppose a complex starch molecule would be formed and 
then broken down into the terpene and resene radical. The criti- 
cism is not well founded, because it fails to consider the fundamental 
function of resin secretion. In other words, this criticism evades 
the anatomico-physiological viewpoint which TscuircH claimed 
could never solve the problem; but in evading this point of view 
the entire meaning of resin secretion is overlooked. 
The theory of resin formation from terpenes is supported both 
by theoretical and actual evidence. Such a theory was postulated 
by BarvyeR (1), who obtained several resins by oxidation of 
fatty aldehydes, although these resins were unlike any found in 
nature. 
__ The evidence presented from a biochemical study of B. sagittata 
shows (1) the presence of a resinic acid, with reaction similar to that 
for abietic acid; (2) production of the fatty aldehyde, balsamo- 
resene, by steam distillation of the resinic acid and the formation 
of the resinic acid from resene in the presence of oxygen; and (3) a 
strong test for inulin, a polysaccharide, in photosynthetic and con- 
ductive areas, in conjunction with balsamoresene. This evidence, 
added to the comparative studies, warrants the assumption that 
balsamoresinic acid is derived from balsamoresene, which, in turn, is 
derived from inulin by polymerization. 
Although the evidence already presented in the physiological 
section is the most convincing, yet that secured from the ecological 
data and anatomical observations brings the problem to a clearer 
focus. HABERLANDT (loc. cit. p. 525), referring to the coincident 
bundle traces and secretory canals, concludes that “the reason for 
the frequent association of secretory passages with leptome strands 
and other vascular tissues is, therefore, in all probability, an eco- 
logical one.” Furthermore, “the substances contained in these 
passages are often of such a kind as to be capable of affording 
‘chemical protection’ against noxious animals; hence small assail- 
ants which have penetrated into the interior of an organ will be 
more or less effectually discouraged from attacking the conductive 
strands, the continuity of which is so vital to the well-being of the 
