1190 Stoivard.—A my loc las tic Secretory Capacities of the 
tion of seeds which had been steeped successively in absolute alcohol or 
water. 
The papain solutions were prepared by weighing separately the requisite 
amounts of papain, and adding the necessary volumes of water to furnish the 
desired concentrations. The preparation of the papain extract was made, 
as customary in all these experiments described in this and other sections, 
by maintaining this solution at 30° C. for 3-7 hours in a tightly-corked flask, 
the risk of micro-organism development being eliminated by addition of 
one drop of nitrobenzene. To aid the progress of extraction the contents of 
the flasks were agitated at intervals ; finally, the undissolved residue was 
filtered off, and each experimental and control predigestion carried out with 
]o c.c. of the clear filtrate. 
TABLE XLIII. 
Amylase Content of Dehusked Seeds after steeping successively 
in (1) Absolute Alcohol, (2) Water ; 48 hours in each 
REAGENT. 
Chilian barley. Varying concentrations of papain, 20 hours. Antiseptic, nitrobenzene. 
Exp . 
Objects . 
Concentration of papain. 
Amylase per 20 objects 
(equivalent to mg. 
1. 
2*5 seeds 
°*5 % 
10240 
2. 
2*5 > f 
» 
9001 
3 * 
2*5 „ 
i*o% 
9700 
4 * 
2*5 » 
8924 
5 . 
2*5 » 
i- 5 % 
7039 
6. 
2*5 „ 
5 > 
7386 
The values furnished by this essay require but little comment; concen¬ 
trations ranging between 0*5-1 *o % papain evidently do not greatly influence 
the order of magnitude of the results, the observed difference being regarded 
as being principally conditioned by the individuality of the objects examined. 
The employment of a higher concentration (1*5 %), however, obviously does 
appear to be responsible for a diminution of the amylase content. 
On the other hand, rough comparison of these results with those of 
Table XLI,p. 1189 (endosperms of air-dried seeds), appears to indicate that 
steeping has led to reduction of the amyloclastic enzyme content of the 
objects under notice. The interpretation of the influence of steeping is, 
however, by no means simple, and its further discussion may well be deferred 
until the results of further experiments, relating to the relative distribution 
of enzyme in the structural parts of the steeped seed, are adduced. 
These are shown in the following table :~™ 
