FORMATION OF ASPARAGINIC IN PLANTS. 4 1 5 



VI. Experiments with potato shoots. 

 A. On April 2nd, etiolated potato shoots which had grown 

 in moist saw dust in the dark, were placed in the following' solu- 

 tions : — 



a, 0.2% urea solution. 



b, 0.2% sodium nitrate solution. 



c, 0.2% urea and 2% sugar solution. 



d, 0.2% sodium nitrate and 2% sugar solution. 



e, distilled water. 



The plants were kept in a dark room for 6 days (April 2nd 

 to April 8th). 



The shoots were i2-20 cni - long, and weighed 2 grams on an 

 average in the fresh state. 



Although they had not grown for 6 days they were still quite 

 healthy ; the solutions had remained almost entirely clear. 

 Table VIII : — In 100 parts of dry matter : — 



Plants in 



Original Control y. Sodium Urea and Sodium nitrate 

 plants. plants. ' nitrate. sugar. and sugar. 



Albuminoid nitrogen 2.18 1.90 1.91 1.79 2.1 1 1.80 



Asparagine nitrogen 0.68 0.98 1.65 0.97 1.38 1. 18 



Asparagine 321 4.62 7.78 4.58 6.51 5.56 



B. On the 8th of April, the same experiment was repeated but 

 this time, in full day light. 



Length of shoots, 12-24""- 

 Average fresh weight, 1 .84" 1: " n 

 Time of experiments, April 8th — April 15th. 1 " 

 Table IX.: — In 100 parts of dry matter: — 









Plants in 





Control 

 plants. 



Sugar- 



Urea. 



Sodium 

 nitrate. 



Sodium nitrate 

 and sugar. 



3-29 



2.74 



3-71 



348 



3°4 



1.86 



'•45 



1 97 



1.89 



I.80 



0.70 



0-75 



1.70 



0.78 



O.56 



0 



0 



0 



0.21 



0.16 



Original 

 plants. 



Total nitrogen 3.14 

 Albuminoid nitrogen 1.80 

 Asparagine nitrogen 0.55 

 Nitrogen in nitrates o 



As the application of sugar causes a remarkable increase 

 of dry matter in the plants, the percentage of nitrogen is lowered 

 considerably. Therefore, for the sake of correct comparison, I 

 calculated the following table : — 



(1) The lower parts of a few shoots were removed, having suffered somewhat. 



