472 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JUNE 
a large number of polyoses. It elaborates various enzymes corresponding 
to each of these sugars; thus the mycelium thriving on glucose contains 
sucrase, maltase, etc. A given polyose, therefore, is not indispensable. 
The sugar enzymes of Botrytis cinerea present two distinct types, based upon 
diffusibility: the invertase type, perfectly diffusible, and the maltase type, 
strongly adhering to the pulp. The invertase type includes those enzymes which 
effect the partial hydrolysis of raffinose, melezitose, gentianose, and stachyose. 
It is necessary to add emulsin for complete inversion. The enzymes analogous 
to maltase are lactase, trehalase, melibiase, and in general, those which achieve 
the complete inversion of trisaccharides and mannieotetrose. The cultures 
may thus be divided into two corresponding types. The invertase type is 
characterized by the presence of both the hydrolytic products and the corre- 
sponding enzyme in the culture liquid. The maltase type is characterized 
by the absence of enzyme and hydrolytic products in the liquid. It is neces-_ 
sary to powder the mycelium in order to demonstrate the presence of the 
enzymes of this type. The type of culture on maltase is very much more 
general in the case of Botrytis cinerea. The cultures on trisaccharides show 
successively both of the above aspects. 
The author draws the following conclusions regarding the specificity of 
the sugar enzymes of Botrytis cinerea: invertase acts as a levulo-polyose, in 
respect to sucrose, raffinose, gentianose, and stachyose; it produces levulose 
from each of these sugars either by total or partial hydrolysis; he was unable 
to characterize a melezitase different from invertase; maltase and lactase 
are two distinct enzymes; the hydrolysis of trehalose is brought about by an 
enzyme closely related to maltase; emulsin effects the hydrolysis of gentio- 
biose; melibiase is clearly distinguished from emulsin, the author being ‘unable 
to separate it from lactose; it was impossible to identify turanase and mannino- 
triase with emulsin; from the evidence furnished by Botrytis cinerea there is 
no reason to dintigicsh them from maltase or lactase—Cuas. O. APPLEMAN. 
Permeability—In continuing his studies upon modified permeability, 
CZAPEK™ reports some most interesting results on the relation between surface 
tension and modified permeability as brought about by certain aqueous solu- 
tension and the physiological effect of aqueous solutions of certain non 
trolytes. Passing up the series of mono-alcohols, each succeeding member . 
(on mol. basis) about three times as effective as the member below it in reducing 
surface tension of an aqueous solution and in producing certain physiological 
fects. Finer and NEwBaver™ have shown for the mono-alcohols, este?» 
and urethanes that aqueous solutions of equal surface tension produce equ 
*° CzaPEK, F., Ueber die Oberflachenspannung und den Lipoid gehalt der See 
mahaut in lebender Pflanzenzellen. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell. 28:480-487- 197° 
* Archiv. Exp. Path. u. Pharm. 56: 333-345. 1910. 
