226 Green. — On the germination of the tuber of 
were carried out, some in test-tubes, and others in parchment 
dialysers. In the latter cases the dialysates were tested for 
sugar as the action went on, its presence being taken to indi- 
cate a formation of it, as the solution of inulin which was 
used to test the power of the glycerine-extract was itself 
dialysed carefully before use, so as to prevent the possibility 
of the introduction of any sugar during the preliminary 
operations. The dialysates were changed at intervals of 
twenty-four hours. In all cases careful control experiments 
were made with boiled extract, in order to confirm the view 
that any changes occurring were due to the action of a fer- 
ment. The weather being extremely sultry, precautions were 
taken against the appearance of bacteria by using thymol 
in all the experiments. 
Particulars of two typical experiments are subjoined. 
Experiment i, carried out in test-tubes : — 
A contained 10 cc. dialysed extract + 15 cc. inulin solution. 
B contained 10 cc. dialysed extract boiled + 15 cc. inulin 
solution. 
A trace of sugar was present in the extract, but not much. 
Action began gradually, and proceeded slowly and regularly 
for several days, the difference between the contents of the 
tubes when tested with Fehling’s solution becoming more 
and more marked as the digestion proceeded. After six 
days the contents of B gave no more reduction than at first 
when boiled with Fehling’s fluid, while those of A gave a 
vivid red under the same conditions. 
Experiment 2, carried out in dialysers : — 
A contained 40 cc. of inulin-solution (1 per cent.) + 5 CC - ex- 
tract of tubers. 
A ± contained 40 cc. of inulin-solution + 5 cc. extract 
boiled. 
Again there was a small amount of sugar present in the 
extract. 
In two days the dialysate of A had a greater reducing 
