THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SPORES. 95 



In 100 pnrts 

 of 



dry matter. 



VV 111 LCI 



wheat, 



(1) 



Not whiten- 

 ed paddy 

 rice. (1) 



Oats. 

 (1) 



Soy-bean. 

 (1) 



Not 

 whitened 

 rice. (2) 



Spores 

 of 



Aspergillus. 



Ash. 



1.68 



0.87 



2.67 



2.83 



1-47 



4.844 



K 2 0 



0.52 



0.20 



048 



1.26 



0-33 



2.227 





0.79 



0.46 



0.68 



1.04 



0.71 



1,920 



In 100 parts 

 of ash. 















K 2 0 



30.95 



22.99 



17-93 



44.52 



22.47 



45.964 



. p 2 o 5 



47.02 



52.87 



2547 



36.75 



48.31 



39.640 



The particularly striking relation between the spores and 

 beans is here evident, but as to its significance we can not make 

 any assertion without further investigations. 



Of special interest is, further, the presence of 4.1,64% of 

 magnesia. This base plays evidently an important role in the 

 assimilation of phosphoric acid. Wherever proteids are formed 

 with accompanying development, and phosphates are present, 

 there is magnesia always found. From magnesium-phosphate, 

 phosphoric acid can more easily be assimilated than from any 

 other phosphates, as the dissociation (hydrolysis) of magne- 

 sium salts is easily accomplished. It may be safely assumed 

 that, about as much magnesia as was found here, is contained in 

 the spores of the related Penicillium glaucum. Indeed, we may 

 say, no seed or spore without magnesium ! 



Nevertheless, it is a fact that the germination of the Penicil- 

 lium-sporcs takes place in solutions containing, as organic 

 nutriment, ammonium acetate alone, only when traces of magne- 

 sium salts are present. It seems, that only a good nutrition 

 brings on those changes in the spores, which make the magne- 

 sium phosphate soluble and available for the protoplasm. 



(1) According to Wolfs Chemico-Agric. Tables. 



(2) Kellncr and Nagaoka : Bull. College of Agric. Vol. I. No. 12. 



