ASPARAGINE NUTRITION OF PLANTS. 
199 
The determination of asparagine in the control shoot No. 1, 
was made after the removal of the cotyledons (April 1), when 
the experiment proper commenced. If we compare this result 
with that yielded by the control shoot No. 2, we find an increase 
of asparagine in percentage of dry matter, due probably to the 
gradual conversion of other amido-compounds into asparagine. (I) 
The fact that in the control case No. 3, where the cotyledons 
had not been removed, a smaller percentage of asparagine was 
found than in No. 2, may probably be due to the galactans and 
other carbohydrates gradually becoming soluble and getting 
consumed in support of respiration, thus protecting proteids as 
well as amido-compounds from further changes, and retarding 
the production of asparagine. 
The principal conclusions which we can draw from the 
results obtained are : 
(1) . Glycerol and methyl alcohol supplied by the roots, can 
not only hinder the production of asparagine in the shoots, but 
are also capable of diminishing the amount already formed. 
(2) . Glycerol is much more effective than methyl alcohol. 
It also forms sugar in the cells. (2) 3 
(3) . Since shoots have been found to grow better in solu¬ 
tions of methyl alcohol and glycerol than in water, and also to 
show the presence of dissolved proteids by the nitric acid test, 
it is safe to assume an increasing protein production in the shoots 
thus nourished ; in other words methyl alcohol, as well as gly¬ 
cerol, can serve for the regeneration of proteids from asparagine, 
and as this process can go on in perfect darkness , light must be 
denied to have any direct action in supporting it. {3) 
(1) Compare O. Loew. This Bulletin, Vol. II. No. 2. 
(2) This formation of sugar is in accordance with the observations of Laurent , 
Ar. Meyer , and Th. Bokorny. The latter author has also observed starch formation 
from methyl alcohol under the influence of daylight. 
(3) It is however indirectly of great importance, because it yields the necessary 
carbohydrates ; for the more sugar there is present in a cell, the quicker will 
asparagine be transformed into proteids.. 
