58 
THE FORMATION OF PROTEIDS IN PLANT-CELLS. 
germinating lupin can be well demonstrated by treating a thin 
cut through the stem with alcohol under the microscope, a large 
number of asparagin crystals will soon be observed. 
There exist, however, cases in which a considerable amount 
of asparagin is found in presence of a large amount of carbo¬ 
hydrates, as in the shoots of Cannabis sativa and of Helianthus 
annuus. In the latter case were found 4% asparagin and 14,7% 
sucrose. 1 ) Scheibler found in the sugar-beet considerable quanti¬ 
ties of asparagin ; more frequently, however, the next higher 
homologue, glutamin, in larger quantities than the former. 2 3 4 ) 
In the juice of potatoes freed from albumen, more than 46% of 
the nitrogen is present in form of asparagin, although there is 
not only a great amount of starch, but also some reducing sugar 
present (E. Schulze). In Trifolium , Medicago and Vicia is found 
1-2% asparagin in presence of 1,5-2% of glucose (E. Schulze). 
These numerous facts doubtless reveal a certain physiolo¬ 
gical significance of asparagin. Let us now take a glance at the 
other nitrogenous compounds formed by decomposition of 
protein bodies. Small quantities of leucin and tyrosin are en¬ 
countered in potatoes, but whether they are formed in loco or 
had been transported from the leaves to the bulbs is not decided; 
they are however probably decomposition products of albuminous 
compounds. The same amido-acids were found by E. Schulze 3) 
in small quantities in germinating seeds of Cucurbita. Kozai 
found t} r rosin in bamboo-shoots. Tyrosin was found only in 
traces in lupin-shoots, leucin however not at all. Phenyl- 
amido-propionicacid and amidovalerianic acid occur here 
in larger quantities. Also an interesting new base, arginin , 
C 6 H I4 N 4 0 2 was discovered by E. Schulze and Steiger 4) in the 
cotyledons of germinating lupin-seeds. These authors proved 
also that this base is derived from the decomposition of proteids ; 
it amounted to 7,8% of the dry substance of the cotyledons and 
was not found in the axial organs. It is probably derived from 
1) Frankfurt , Landw. Versuch-Stat. 43, 143. 
2) Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges. 1869. Schulze and Urich, Landw. Versuchs-Stat, 
20, 193. 
3) Landw. Jahrb. Vol. 9 ; Vol. 12 ; Vol. 14. 
4) Zeitsch. f. physiol. Chem. Vol. 11 p. 43. Ber. Deutsch. Chem. Ges. Vol. 
ig, p. 1177. 
