1194 Stoward.—Amyloclastic Secretory Capacities of the 
TABLE XLVII. 
Amylase Content of (a) Structural Parts of Germinated 
Seeds, (b) Intact Germinated Seeds. 
Digestion 
method. 
Germination period, 7 days. 1 
j-\ , Aleurone Inner ^ . , 
ryos. i a y ers t endosperms. 0 a * 
Amylase per 20 objects per hour 
Equivalent to mg. Cu). 
Papain 
838 
2075 
9820 
12 7 33 
Auto 
788 
2874 
8143 
11805 
Direct 
2857 
3849 
5793 
I2 499 
The inverse order of the magnitude of the results in the case of embryos 
and aleurone layers, and the convergence of results as regards the inner 
endosperm, are again demonstrated. 
The general conclusion to be deduced from these essays is that the 
marked divergence in the amyloclastic capacity possessed by air-dried and 
steeped seeds, and material derived from them, following the method of 
digestion employed, tends to disappear, as shown by parallel investigations 
of similarly prepared germinated seed material from them. 
The other outstanding fact of significance is that papain-digestion is 
responsible for lower results than direct digestion in the case of embryos and 
aleurone layers. 
A short survey of the results furnished by the data as determined by 
papain-digestion, comprised in the foregoing tables, relative to the amylo¬ 
clastic capacity of the intact seed, whether determined by experiment or 
arrived at by calculation, will suffice to show the few deductions of impor¬ 
tance concerning the question of the sources of the amylase present or of 
the relative amounts of amylase in the inner endosperm. 
When, however, we turn to the data derived from the separate examina¬ 
tion of the amyloclastic capacity of the anatomical parts of the endosperm 
taken from the seed at various stages, during the progress of germination, 
important conclusions may, if certain assumptions are made, be put 
forward. 
We have seen that papain-digestion, if it does not afford a means of 
arriving at the maximal amyloclastic capacity of the inner endosperm, at 
least furnishes what appears to be the ‘ limiting ’ values for that capacity, 
and as such we may with justification employ it tentatively as a basis in an 
1 Investigation of the inner endosperm tissue beyond this stage is rendered irregular and 
uncertain by reason of the loss of a considerable portion of substance during desiccation on 
absorbent paper. This applies to circumstances in which the progress of the germinative processes 
has reduced the residual tissue to a semi-fluid mass. Moreover, at this point considerable 
diminution of material arises through exercise of the absorptive functions of the embryo. 
