202 



KIN0SH1TA ; NITROGEN ASSIMILATION. 



four days' standing in diffused day-light, the whole plants were 

 subjected to nitrogen determination, with the following result : — 



From this it is evident that ammonium salts are transform- 

 ed into asparagine, while nitrates can be stored up as such. The 

 difference would have been found still greater in the latter case 

 had only roots and stems been tested, and I think it safe to 

 assert that asparagine is the form in which the excess of nitrogen, 

 originally in the ammonium salts, is stored up in the plants, 

 although I regard these investigations merely as a preliminary 

 step to a longer series I intend to carry out in order to decide 

 whether my conclusion can be substantiated. 



Plants in water, 

 Total nitrogen 4.13 

 Nitrogen in asparagine 0.38 



amm. nitr. sod. nitr. 



4-23 

 o-73 



4-15 

 0.24 



