by Green Plants from certain Organic Compounds. 169 



1. Ery thro- dextrin. 

 A. With Cut Branches. 



Solution used. 



Plants. 



Eesults. 



The culture solution 

 + 1 p. c. erythro- 

 dextrin 



Acer pseudoplatanus 



Tilia HJuropcea 

 Phaseolus multifiorus 



No starch formed in the 



leaves (5 days). 



Same as above 1 -. 

 Q "i [ no starch. 

 Same as above J 



2. Achroo-dextrin. 

 A. With Cut Branches. 



Solution used. 



Plants. 



Eesults. 



The culture solution 

 + 1*5 p. c. achroo- 

 dextrin 



Same as 2 A above . . 



Same plants as above (Erythro- 

 dextrin) 



B. Supplied to Roots 



Epilobium hirsutum 

 Tilia Europcea 

 Cheiranthus Cheiri 



No starch formed (5 

 days). 



No starch formed in the 



leaves (5 days). 

 No starch formed in leaves 



(5 days). 



All plants resumed growth and formed starch again when planted 

 out. 



No. 9. Experiments with Inulin. 



Commercial inulin, obtained from Messrs. Hop kin and Williams, of 

 London, was used. It was thoroughly washed with strong alcohol (to 

 remove any glucoses) and dried in vacuo before solution in water. 

 The solutions were used immediately after preparation.* 



A. A. Meyerf has shown that leaves do form starch from solu- 

 tions of inulin. I did not repeat this experiment. 



* This experiment with inulin I regard as inconclusive, because it is not probable 

 that the substance used was pure. Solutions of inulin on standing for any length 

 of time I have always found to contain laevulose, from which the starch detected 

 might have been produced. 



Kiliani (' Liebig's Annalen,' vol. 205, 1880) has pointed out the very great diffi- 

 culty of obtaining pure inulin (compare also J. E. Green, ' Annals of Botany,' 

 vol. 1, No. III). 



f Loc. cit. 



