i6 



U. SUZUKI. 



the residue once more extracted with soda solution. The soda 

 extract was neutralized with dilute acetic acid, whereby a 

 fiocculent precipitate was formed in abundance. This was 

 washed at first by decantation and afterwards collected on a 

 filter, washed with water, alcohol and ether, and dried over 

 sulphuric acid. The crude proteids thus obtained were still 

 mixed with chlorophyll and other impurities. The dried and 

 powdered proteids were then boiled with 20% hydrochloric acid 

 (sp. gr. i.io) for 20 hours (with addition of some SnCL) in the 

 reflux cooler, and the solution filtered. The filtrate was treated 

 in the usual way, and the following result was obtained. 



Total dissolved nitrogen. 0.2700 . IOO.O 



Nitrogen directly precipitated 



by phospho-tungstic acid. (») 0.0891 33.0 



Nitrogen in ammonia. (,?) 0.0203 7.5 



(«) — (/9)... Nitrogen inorganic bases. 0.0688 25.5 



We see that this result nearly coincides with the one 

 obtained for the seeds ; therefore it is very probable that the 

 chemical nature of the proteids in the shoots is the same as in the 

 seeds. From want of time, I could not isolate the bases, but I 

 am sure that the chief base is arginin. I suppose also that the 

 proteids in the shoots of other coniferous plants can produce the 

 bases in the same way. I hope to make some further communi- 

 cation on this subject. 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 



1. The proteids prepared from the seeds of Cryptomeria 

 japonica, Pinus Thunbergii and Gingko biloba, produce much 

 organic bases by the action of acids, the chief of which is 

 arginin. 



2. Organic bases are produced by the action of even very 

 dilute acids. 



3. The etiolated shoots of Cryptomeria and Pinus, contain 

 much organic bases, especially arginin ; but the shoots of Gingko 

 contain only a very small quantity of the bases. 



4. The chemical nature of the proteids prepared from the 

 shoots of coniferous plants are most probably the same as that 

 of the seed proteids, inasmuch as they give the same decom- 

 position products as those of the seeds. 



