FORMATION OF ASPARAGINE IN PLANTS. 
4 II 
Plants in 
Original plants 
Control plants 
Ammonium 
Urea^ 1 ) 
Sodium 
(Nov. 7) 
(Nov. 13) 
phosphate 
nitrate 
Asparagine 
nitrogen 0.38 
0.40 
0.62 
1.18 
0.72 
Asparagine 
1.76 
i.91 
2.90 
5-55 
3-35 
It is to be remarked in this case that urea, which might have 
been transformed into ammonium carbonate in the plants, was 
much more favourable than sodium nitrate for asparagine pro¬ 
duction, while the ammonium phosphate was less favourable than 
sodium nitrate. 
III. Experiments with “ sendan ” (Mel/a Japonica). 
The young branches of this plant were put into flasks con¬ 
taining about 250 e - 0, of the following solutions :— 
a, 0.1% solution of ammonium chloride. 
b, ,, ,, ,, ammonium phosphate. 
c, 0.2 % ,, ,, sodium nitrate. 
d, distilled water 
and kept in the glass house for 6 days (Nov. 7— Nov. I3). 1 (2) 
Temperature :—Min. 8°C. ; Max. 35°C. 
After drying, the leaves and 20 c,n1, of the upper parts of the 
stems were analyzed. 
Table III : — In 100 parts of dry matter : 
Plants in 
- -~- - --—--V. 
Original plants Control plants Ammonium Ammonium Sodium 
chloride phosphate nitrate 
Asparagine nitrogen 0.11 0.13 037 0.29 027 
Asparagine 0.52 0.59 1.76 1.38 1.25 
# 
IV. Experiments with squash ( Cucurbita melo peppo ). 
Squash seeds were distributed in three large pots containing 
sea sand washed first with hydrochloric acid, then with common 
soft water ; the pots were kept in the glass house, in which the 
temperature ranged from 22°C. to 44°C. Four days after sowing, 
the germination had fairly set in, and when 3 c m - high, the shoots of 
one pot were treated with 0.05 % solution of ammonium nitrate, 
(1) The nourishing solutions did not show any development of bacteria ; the plants 
remained healthy. About 1 / 8 of the total urea of the solution was here transformed 
into asparagine. 
(2) At the end of the experiments the plants began to suffer, the temperature having 
been too high. 
