4H 



SUZUKI ; 



a moderate quantity of nitrates was found in all cases. A few 

 drops of the juice of the plants in ammonium nitrate were left to 

 dry up on an object carrier, and yielded besides some long 

 needles (probably potassium nitrate), numerous asparagine cry- 

 stals readily recognized under the microscope by their insolu- 

 bility in cold saturated asparagine solution. 



The result of the analysis was as follows : — 



Table VI. In lOO parts of dry matter. 



Plants in 



Original plants Control plants Ammonium Sodium 



(Oct. 12) (Oct. 21) nitrate nitrate 



(stem) (roots) (stem) (stem) (stem) 



Asparagine nitrogen 0.20 0.22 0.75 1.5 1 0.98 



Asparagine 0.92 1.02 3.54 7.06 4.61 



We observe here that ammonium nitrate was much more 

 favourable for asparagine production than sodium nitrate, and 

 that the control plants kept in water contained much more aspar- 

 agine than the original plants taken from the field, which fact may 

 be due to the transformation of nitrates, already present in the 

 plants, into asparagine. 



Another experiment with potato plants was made on an open 

 farm. The plants 30-40 r " 1, high were irrigated with : — 



a, 0.1% solution of ammonium phosphate. 



b, 0.2% ,, ,, sodium nitrate. 



There was no rain-fall during the experiment, but sometimes 

 the temperature dropped down to 3°C. at night. After 6 days 

 (Nov. 7th — Nov. 13th), the plants were removed and the entire 

 plants were used for analysis. 



Total ammonium phosphate solution applied. 300'' °- 

 ,, sodium nitrate ,, ,, 300 <1,c ' 



Table VII. In 100 parts of dry matter. 



Plants treated with 

 y ~ — — . 



Original plants Ammonium phosphate Sodium nitrate 



Asparagine nitrogen 0.57 0.37 0.53 



Asparagine 2.68 1.76 2.53 



In this case we observe no increase of asparagine after the 

 treatment with sodium nitrate, and even a decrease by the treat- 

 ment with ammonium phosphate. The conditions for the forma- 

 tion of protcids from asparagine were evidently very favourable 

 and especially promoted by ammonium phosphate. 



