460 
MIYACHI ; 
The result was as follows : 
In 100 parts of dry matter ; 
Fresh leaves. Starved leaves. 
Total nitrogen. 
3.475X 
3.9W l) 
Protein nitrogen. 
2.850 
2.5H 
Asparagine nitrogen. 
0.201 
O.867 
Theine nitrogen. 
O.283 
0.358 
Amido-nitrogen except asp. 
nitrogen. 
O.I4I 
0.251 
In 
100 parts of total nitrogen. 
Fresh leaves. 
Starved leaves. 
Protein nitrogen. 
82.01 
62.98 
Asparagine nitrogen. 
5.78 
21.75 
Theine nitrogen. 
8.14 
8.98 
Amido-nitrogen except asp. 
nitrogen. 
4.07 
6.29 
We observe, therefore, the proportion between asparagine 
nitrogen in fresh leaves and that in starved leaves to be 1 : 3.7- <2) 
My investigation, therefore, places it beyond doubt, that 
even old leaves can produce asparagine from proteids. 
Some additional remarks may be made in regard to the be¬ 
haviour of theine in the metabolism of plant cells. 
In order to decide whether theine could be utilized as a source 
of nitrogen and carbon for the formation of proteids, I prepared 
50 e - c - of a solution containing o.$% theine, O .\% dihydropotassium 
phosphate and 0.0 1% magnesium sulphate, sterilised it, and in¬ 
fected it with spores of Aspergillus orizae. After standing from 
the 8th May to the 18th June, only a very small amount of my¬ 
celium covered with some spores, had developed. 1 2 (3) 
In a second case the solution was infected with Pénicillium 
glaucnm ; but no development was here observed. 
Now, if theine proves to be such a poor nutrient for lower 
fungi, which possess great chemical energy, it may safely be in¬ 
ferred that it will also fail to be a nutrient for tea-leaves. Indeed 
its quantity is increased by the decomposition of proteids, as not 
(1) From this relative increase of nitrogen it follows that 12.84 percent of the dry 
matter was consumed in the respiration process. 
(2) The high percentage of fatty matter present in tea leaves is evidently the reason 
why the decomposition of proteid and consequently the formation of asparagine was less 
energetic than in paeonia leaves. 
(3) On shaking the solution with chloroform and evaporating, a considerable quan¬ 
tity o! crystallized theine was again obtained, easily identified by the principal reactions. 
