On the Reserve Protein in Plants. II. 



BY 



G. Daikuhara, Nogakushi. 



I have given the results of my investigation on the occur- 

 rence of active albumen in a large number of plants in Vol. II. 

 No. 2 of the Bulletin of this College. As all the objects then 

 examined were collected in spring, it seemed to me of interest to 

 examine them during the fall. We know that an extensive 

 transportation of nutritive materials takes place from the leaves 

 to the stem, roots, and bulbs. I supposed therefore that leaves 

 found rich in active albumen in spring might not show this kind 

 of reserve material in autumn. On the other hand, it seemed 

 also possible that plants of rapid growth and yielding none of 

 the reactions of active albumen in summer might yet accumulate 

 some active albumen late in autumn when development stops. 



I wanted also to test the leaves of evergreen plants in the 

 fall, as well as a number of fruits. Accordingly, all the objects 

 here mentioned were examined during the months of October, 

 November, and December. The general result of this examina- 

 tion has been that objects not showing any active albumen as 

 reserve-material in spring also show none in autumn and that 

 most objects yielding a positive result in spring, yield the same 

 in autumn, although usually to a much less extent. 



I have also repeatedly examined leaves partially dead, as 

 shown by their brown and yellow spots, and could never produce 

 proteosomes with caffeine in the brown parts, but always in the 

 still healthy and green cells, even at points very close to the 

 dead portions. In a few cases I could see, without caffeine 

 treatment, bright globules in the cells, which in some in- 



(i) As examples of those'which give no reaction in spring, and do give one in 

 autumn, I will mention the leaves of Dcutzia Sicboldiana, Diospyros kaki, and Salix 

 japonica. It should be mentioned here that sometimes the caffeine reaction does not 

 set in immediately, especially in the case of thick cell walls, and can then be 

 detected only after the prolonged action of a saturated caffeine solution. 



