Chemiabry of Vegetable Physiology and Agriezrlture. B!Idificatian af Starch in Vegetables. By M. 3%E Ec ADA N T K (G'mzetta chimica itnlzana vi 97-98).-The author does not agree wit11 Trank that the starch iu the cells of the medulla and the medul-1;ir-y rays is transformed into gnm without any change of aspect or foim for he finds that the gum first appears in tlie cells coiltemp- miieously with the starch the latter occnpying the centre of the eelluIsr mas whilst the gum forms colaceniric layers outside it. 111 tlie spring the starch gradually dissolves whilst the gum increases and now forma a deposit in the interior of the cells ;with the progress of the vegetation the starch disappears serving 8s food for the young growth and leaving the cells empty.That this starch is converted into soluble starch is ghown by the cold aqueous extract of the medullae giving a precipitate with baryta-water. 6.E. G. Formatian of Sulphuric Acid in Seedlings. By E. SCHCLZE (Lmdw. Verszcchs-Stat. xix 172-1 16).-Plants are known tJo possess the power of p-rtilising the sulphnr of aulphates for tbe prodaction of snlpho-organic cornpounds a process by which the sulphate un-doubtedly undergoes reduction. It was however discovered during some researches conducted by the author in conjnnction with Urnlauft and Urich that during the growth of lupine seedlings in the dark exactly the contrary takes place viz, that the amount of slxlphnric acid increases at the expense of snlphnr pre-existing in organic corn-binations in the seed.Subsequent experiments confirm this and show that the increase in sulphur is most probably due to the clteeompo-sition of sulpho-albumindid csmpoands. M. H. B. s. The Germhation of Lupine Seeds. By E. SCHPCLZE IV. UMLAUF (Deut. Chew. Ges. Ber. ix 1314).-Kon-and A. URICH germinated seeds of lupines contain 45 per cent. of conglutin and albu-min but after germinating for 15 days in the dark only 8 per cent. of nlbuminoids remain and 60 per cent. of their nitrogen is found as * This paper was written before the appeamllce of Kiihne's research upon the albumin-ciissolviiig ferment of the pancreas termed by him Trypsirz. (Yerhalpdl. d. Heidelberg. naturhists. Ges. 5 i.) VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY ASD AGRICULTURE. 105 asparagine ; other amides and ammonia are also formed but only in sniall quantit,y while the sulphur is converted into sulphates.c. s. Absence of Leucin in the Products of Germination of the Graminacea By 31. MERCADANT E (Guzzetta chimica ittcliana vi lOU-101) .-The germinated seeds of Triticzcnz scctivum €Ior~de.umvzd-gm-e Avena satiua and Zew 3!Iais were each boiled with water and the clear liquid filtered and concentrated. Ontesting the solution for leucin by nitrate of mercury no precipitate was obtained neither did the liquor give any coloration with sodium hypochlorite in presence of phenol as it would have done had leucin been present. This result affords f urthcr evidence of the dfierence between the nitrogenous principles of the Graminaceae and those coiitained in the LeguminosE.C. E. G. Gases in the Fruit of the Bladder Senna. By C. SAINT-PIERH E and L. ~XBGNIEN (Compt. red. lxxxiii 490).-The gas in the fruit of Colideu arburescens is not comrnoii air but a mixture poorer in oxygen and containing 0.50 to 2.32 per cent. of carbonic acid. The authors have found that in these fruits although their colour is green oxygen gas is absorbed and carbonic acid gas given out by night as well as by day; and that the amount of carbonic acid produced is greater than the oxygen absorbed would furnish. In this plant there are therefore green organs which act like the animal tissues and the coloured parts of other vegetables. It. R. Composition and Nutritive and Manurial Value of Kapok-cake. By G. REIKDERS (Latdzu.Versuclzs-Stat. xix 161-164).- The kapok-tree (Eriodeizdi-o9b ajfmctuowinj of Java and the Indian Archipelago bears a seed resembling in many respects that of the cotton-plant. Like cotton-seed it is covered with a wool which though less suited for spinning yet has long been used in India and the Netherlands for filling bolsters &c. The following analyses show the composition of a trial-cake made from this seed as compared with that made from seed of the cotton- plant :-Kapok cake. Cotton cake. Water.............................. 13.28 12.60 Nitrogenous (albuminous) compounds .. 26.34 20.62 lht.. .............................. 5.82 6-33 Non-nitrogenous extractive matter .... 19.92 35-42 Woody fibre ........................ 28.12 '20.36 Ash............................... 6-52 5.64 It is probable that kapok-seed may be employed in the Netherlands for adulterating linseed-cake although it is not mentioned by Voelcktx (Jour. Roy. Agricultural Soc. vol. ix Part I) among the seeds dis-covered by him to have been used for this purpose. The ash of the seed contains 28.5 per cent. phosphoric acid and 24-6per cent. potassa ; it would consequently have about the same manurial value as linseed or rape. H. H. B. S. ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS. Action of Sea-water upon Land. By G. REINDERS (Land. Verstcchs-Xtat. xis 190-214) .-Land that has been submerged by sea- water generally proves sterile for some time and indeed in some cases has remained so for 10 or even 20 gears.This sterility can be traced to the co-operation of the three following chemical causes in adciition to the injury produced mechanically by the inundation :-lst to the introduction of too great a proportion of chlorine salts; 2nd to the hygroscopic property communicated to it preventing it from properly drying ; and 31.61 to the formation of ferrous sulphate which is known to exert a very prejudicial effect upon plant-growth. This salt is produced in the soil thus the calcium and magnesium sulphates becoming reduced to sulphides by the organic matter react upon the iron compounds forming iron sulphide which is then oxidised to sulphate by exposure to the air. Land which has been thus damaged should be drained as quickly as possible and sown with grass or clov(.r and allowed to rest.Expe-rience shows that it recovers its fertility sooner if treated in this way than if cultivated all the year round as arable land. H. H. B. S. Notes on the Fermentation of Fruits plunged into Car- bonic Anhydride. Rg J.JOUBERT (C~mpt. and CH. CHAMBERLAND red lxxxiii 354).-A number of fruits (cherries plums goose- berries &.) chosen as perfect as possible were placed in tubes partially filled with carbonic anhydride over mercury-one fruit only in each tube. When tlze volume of gas ceased to augment the fruits were withdrawn and the interior pulp extmcted every precaution being taken to prevent its contact with the outw skin. The micro- scopic examination of the pulp nevcr showed the presence of ferments.Certain round granulations were seen but they may be found in fruits which have not been planged into carbonic anhydride ; moreover the pulp extracted in the manner mentioned does not cause the fermen- tation of grape must into which it is introduced. This difference of results from those obtained by Premy is considered to be due to the lengthened washing to which he subjected his specimens and to their being piled together in a flask. C. H. P. Cellulosic Fermentation produced by Vegetable Organs ; and probable Utilisation of Sugar for the production of Cel-lulose in Vegetation. By E. DURIN(Compt. rend. lxxxiii 355).-It is shown that plants contain some substance capable of exciting cellulosic fermentation from which it appears that the sugar assists in the production of cellulose in vegetation.C. H. P. The Microzymes of Germinated Barley and of Sweet Almonds as producers of Diastase and Synaptase in refer- ence to a Note of Pasteur and Joubert. By A. B~CHAXP (Corn@. red,lxxxiii 358).-The microzymes of the pancreas of barley natural or germinated of almonds and of yeast possess the same chemical functions as pancreazymose diastase synaptase and the zymase of beer-yeast. C. H. P. ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. On Pure Yeast. By MORITZ (Deut. Chern. Ges. Ber., TRAUBE (ix 1239-1244).-When ordinary beer-yeast is added to a filtered decoction of yeast to which sugar-candy and alcohol have been added the products of the action thereby set up vary with the proportions of the ingredients more especially with the proportion of alcohol.A decoction of 40 grams of yeast in 200 C.C. of water made up to 1 liter wit,h water holding in solution 100 grams of sugar-candy (Pasteur's liquid) undergoes alcoholic fermentation almost com-pletely on addition of a small quantity of' yeast. But if t'he proportion of sugar be reduced to one-half the formation of yeast-cells goes on with difficulty whilst bacteria develope rapidly and in a few days the liquid becomes putrid. The effect of alcohol added to the fermentable liquid is very striking. From numerous experiments with varying proportions of this liquid the author arrives at the following con- clusions :-1. The development of bacteria and of all other disease-ferments as well as of Xyccldermn wind,is considerably retarded by a small quan- tity of alcohol (2.8 per cent,) and is entirely prevented by a larger quantity (5.6 per cent.).2. The development of yeast is also retarded by alcohol but it still 3. Hence pure yeast is developed in appropriate solutions contain- goes on in solutions containing 8.2 per cent. ing from 5.6 to 8.2 per cent,. of alcohol.* It appears to be unnecessary to boil fhe liquid to be fermented before adding yeast provided it contains the necessary proportion of alcohol. It is evident that when once a small qumtity of pure yeast has been obtained as above it may be used to obtain a larger quantity by introducing it into a previonsly boiled fermentable solution free from alcohol. Pure yeast may thus be developed even in solutions yich in alburriinous matters and the fact that it can be so developed is the best possible proof of the purity of the yeast added. J. R.