58 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Proteids of the Oat.* — Mr. T. B. Osborne gives an account of the 
chemistry of the proteids contained in the oat-kernel, which he classifies 
under the following heads, — (1) those extracted by weak alcohol; (2) 
those extracted by water ; (3) those extracted by cold sodium chloride 
solution; (4) those extracted by weak potash solution; (5) those 
extracted by hot sodium chloride solution. Under (1) there are two 
quite distinct substances, neither of which agrees in composition with 
Kreusler’s oat-gliadin. Under (2) there is an acid-albumin, one or more 
globulins, and a proteose. 
Oil as a Reserve-material in Trees. - ) — M. J. Suroz has studied the 
gradual transformation of starch into oil in the autumn, especially 
in Tilia, Caragena, Populus, Betula, and Prunus. This process begins 
to take place in the larger branches from the middle of August to the 
early part of September, according to the species, and is completed at a 
period varying between the end of October and the middle of November. 
The oil thus formed begins to travel from the slender branches to 
the main stems, and, by about the end of December or beginning of 
February, has completely left the ultimate branches, the transport 
taking place apparently both in the bark and in the wood. This con- 
dition lasts only for a few days, or at the most a month, when a 
transport sets in in the opposite direction, the branches becoming in the 
spring (end of February to beginning of April) as full of oil as they 
were in the autumn. A transformation now takes place of the oil into 
carbohydrates — starch and sugar — beginning in the youngest branches. 
The storing-up of oil occurs in all the amylaceous tissues, i. e. in the 
parenchyme both of the bark and of the wood. 
Rhabdoid, a new Cell-content. J— Herr J. H. Wakker finds, in the 
epidermal cells of the tubers of Tecophilea cyanocrocus (Amaryllideae) 
a peculiar substance, to wdiich he gives the name rhabdoid. It has the 
form of very slender threads, often pointed at both ends, straight, coiled, 
horseshoe-shaped, or even curved into a circle, usually with a distinct 
longitudinal striation. The microchemical reactions are given in detail. 
The author considers the substance not to be a reserve food-material, 
but rather to serve the purpose of protection against animals. Some- 
what similar substances have been found in the gland-cells of the 
tentacles of Drosera dichotoma, in the epidermal cells of Epiphyllum, and 
in those of Oncidium microchilnm. 
Herr H. Molisch § points out that the substance described by Wakker 
is identical with that previously found by him in Epiphyllum and by 
Mikosch in Oncidium microchilum.W 
Diastase.! — According to Herren J. C. Lintner and F. Eckkardt, 
the ferment of ungerminated grains of barley or wheat is not identical 
with that of malt. The latter is undoubtedly the product of chemical 
* Amer. Cliera. Journ., xiii. (1891) pp. 327-47, 385-413. 
f VIII. Congress Euss. Naturf. u. Aerzte (Bot.), 1890, pp. 24-8. See Bot. 
Centralbl., 1891, Beih., p. 342. 
J Jahrb. f. Wiss. Bot. (I’ringsheiiu), xxiii. (1S91) pp. 1-12 (1 pi.). 
§ Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., ix. (1891) p. 270. 
i| Cf. this Journal, 1S90, p. 619. 
If Journ. f. Prakt. Cheniie, 1890, pp. 91-6. See Bot. Centralbl., xlvii. (1891) 
p. 362. 
