FORMATION OF ASPARAGINE IN PLANTS. 
415 
VI. Experiments with potato shoots. 
A. On April 2nd, etiolated potato shoots which had grown 
in moist saw dust in the dark, were placed in the following solu¬ 
tions :— 
a , 0.2^ urea solution. 
b , 0 , 2 % sodium nitrate solution. 
c , 0.2^ urea and 2% sugar solution. 
d , 0.2^ sodium nitrate and 2% sugar solution. 
e , distilled water. 
The plants were kept in a dark room for 6 days (April 2nd 
to April 8th). 
The shoots were i2-20 cm ‘ long, and weighed 2 grams on an 
average in the fresh state. 
Although they had not grown for 6 days they were siill quite 
healthy ; the solutions had remained almost entirely clear. 
Table VIII :—In 100 parts of dry matter : — 
Plants in 
Original 
Control 
Urea 
Sodium 
Urea and 
Sodium nitrate 
plants. 
plants. 
nitrate. 
sugar. 
and sugar. 
Albuminoid nitrogen 2.18 
1.90 
1.91 
1.79 
2.11 
1.80 
Asparagine nitrogen 0.68 
0.98 
1.65 
0.97 
1.38 
1.18 
Asparagine 3 21 
4.62 
7.78 
4 - 5 8 
6.51 
5-56 
B. On the 8th of April, the same experiment was repeated but 
this time, in full day light. 
Length of shoots, i2-24 cm - 
Average fresh weight, 1.84®™“' 
Time of experiments, April 8th—April 1 51h. (1> 
Table IX.:—In 100 parts of dry matter:— 
Plants in 
Original 
plants. 
Control 
plants. 
Sugar- 
Urea. 
Sodium 
nitrate. 
Sodium nitrate 
and sugar. 
Total nitrogen 
3-14 
3-29 
2.74 
3-71 
34 8 
3°4 
Albuminoid nitrogen 
1.80 
1.86 
1-45 
1.97 
1.89 
1.80 
Asparagine nitrogen 
o -55 
0.70 
o -75 
1.70 
0.78 
0.56 
Nitrogen in nitrates 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0.21 
0.16 
As the application of sugar causes a remarkable increase 
of dry matter in the plants, the percentage of nitrogen is lowered 
considerably. Therefore, for the sake of correct comparison, I 
calculated the following table :— 
(i) The lower parts of a few shoots were removed, having suffered somewhat. 
