53 THE FORMATION OF I'ROTEIDS IN PLANT-CELLS. 



germinating lupin can be well demonstrated by treating a thin 

 cut through the stem with alcohol under the microscope, a large 

 number uj asparagin crystals will soon be observed. 



There exist, however, cases in which a considerable amount 

 of asparagin is found in presence of a large amount of carbo- 

 hydrates, as in the shoots of Cannabis sativa and of Hclianthus 

 annuus. In the latter case were found 4% asparagin and 14,7% 

 sucrose. 1 ) Schciblcr found in the sugar-beet considerable quanti- 

 ties of asparagin ; more frequently, however, the next higher 

 homologue, glutamin, in larger quantities than the former. 2) 

 In the juice of potatoes freed from albumen, more than 46% of 

 the nitrogen is present in form of asparagin, although there is 

 not only a great amount of starch, but also some reducing sugar 

 present (E. Schuhe). In Trifolium, Mcdicago and Vicia is found 

 1-2% asparagin in presence of 1,5-2% of glucose (E. Schulze). 



These numerous facts doubtless reveal a certain physiolo- 

 gical significance of asparagin. Let us now take a glance at the 

 other nitrogenous compounds formed by decomposition of 

 protein bodies. Small quantities of leucin and tyrosin are en- 

 countered in potatoes, but whether they are formed in loco or 

 had been transported from the leaves to the bulbs is not decided; 

 they are however probably decomposition products of albuminous 

 compounds. The same amido-acids were found by E. Schulze^ 

 in small quantities in germinating seeds of Cucurbita. Kozai 

 found tyrosin in bamboo-shoots. Tyrosin was found only in 

 traces in lupin-shoots, leucin however not at all. Phenyl- 

 amido-propionicacid and amidovalerianic acid occur here 

 in larger quantities. Also an interesting new base, arginin, 

 C 6 H I4 N 4 0, was discovered by E. Schulze and Stcigcr^ in the 

 cotyledons of germinating lupin-seeds. These authors proved 

 also that this base is derived from the decomposition of proteids ; 

 it amounted to 7,8% of the dry substance of the cotyledons and 

 was not found in the axial organs. It is probably derived from 



1) Frankfurt, Landw. Versuch-Stat. 43, 143. 



2) Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges. 1869. Schulze and Urlch, Landw. Versuchs-Stat, 

 20, 193. 



3) Landw. Jahrb. Vol. 9 ; Vol. 12 ; Vol. 14. 



4) Zeitsch. f. physiol. Chem. Vol. 11 p. 43. Ber. Deutsch. Chem. Ges. Vol. 

 19, p. 1177. 



