THE FORMATION OF PROTEIDS IN PLANT-CELLS. 
57 
new production being stopped. There appears in many cases a 
close connection existing between the decrease of carbohydrates 
and an incipient decomposition of protein compounds with 
production of asparagin. Thus Monteverde has observed, that 
twigs of Syringa vulgaris, kept in the dark for 15 days, produce 
a great deal of asparagin ; but if the twigs instead of being 
placed in water are kept in a 6-8 per cent solution of glucose or 
sucrose, no trace of asparagin is formed, but much starch and 
mannite. 1 ) Other investigations have elucidated the interesting 
fact, that the amount of asparagin formed in the germination 
process increases if the reserve carbohydrates decrease in quantity. 
The proportion of protein to carbohyrates is 
in wheat-kernels = 1 : 5 
in peas =1:2 
in beans =1 :1,8 
in gourd-seeds =1:1,5 
in soya-beans =1:0, g 
in lupin-seeds =1:0,5. 
Germinating peas contain 2,4-2,6% asparagin of the dry 
substance ( Sachsse and Kormann). In the shoots of Cucurbita 
(gourd) there are 40% of the nitrogen of the decomposed proteids 
present in form of asparagin and glutamin ; generally more of 
the latter than of the former (E. Schulze). 2) In germinating 
soya-beans half of the nitrogen of the decomposed protein is 
found again as asparagin. In the lupin-seeds , however, the 
greatest amount of asparagin is found ; the percentage of nitrogen 
of the decomposed protein compounds (mostly conglutin), which 
is present in form of asparagin , is with germs 4 days old = 45,7 
7 >> » = 56,7 
12 „ ,, =63,5 
24 ” >> = 73 > 4 * 
In the axial parts (root and stem) of lupin-shoots the 
asparagin amounts to 30% of the dry matter, in the cotyledons 
to 8-g%. 1 2 3) The great amount of asparagin in the stem of a 
1) Botan. Centralbl. 1891, 380. Also an observation of Church (Journ. Chem. 
Soc. 49, 840) may be mentioned here, according to which leaves suffering from 
albinism contain 2,4 times as much nitrogen in form of amido-compounds (which ?) 
as green leaves of the same trees (Elaeagnus pungens). 
2) Landw. Jahrb. Vol. 12 p. gi6. 
3) E. Schulze , Landw. Jahrb. 17 ; Journ. f. prakt.'Chem. 1883. 
