50 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS. Chemistry of Vegetable Physiology and Agriculture Epidemic or Bacillary Dysentery. R'. H. FIRTH (Tmns. Pathol. Soc. London 1904,55 340-375).-Two types of bacilli are obtainable from dysenteric excreta one non-pathogenic is able to decompose maltose galactose and mannitol with the formation of acid but not of gas and also able to produce indole ; the other which is pathogenic and to which the term Bacillus dysenterice should be restricted does not possess these characters. The former may be a degraded or transitional form of the latter but this is uncertain as also is their relationship if any t o the bacilli of enteric fever. The prospects of establishing an acquired imniunity against bacillary dysentery are not encouraging ; experiments on rabbits and guinea-pigs show that passive immunity is brief although active immunity is of longer durat,ion.Development of Organic Matter in Seeds during Matura- tion. GUSTAV ANDRB (Compt. Tend. 1904 139 805-807).-ln the maturation of lupin and haricot seeds the percentage amount of ash was always greater a t tho commencement than at the end. The same was observed as regards total nitrogen except in the case of lupins. The non-nitrogenous organic matter is a t first in the form of soluble carbohydrates. W. D. H. N . H. J. M. Desiccation of Plants and Vegetable Tissues. Period of Maturation not Reversible. Final Equilibrium in Average Atmospheric Conditions. MARCELLIN BERTHELOT (Compt. Tend. 1904 139 693-702).-!L'he water retained by plants a t the ordiuary temperature under given conditions of temperature and atmospheric moisture corresponds with an equilibrium or limit.This limit varies much less for a given interval than tho temperatiire of the air or the vapour tension of t h e air. provided t,hnt extremes are avoided. N. H. J. 31.VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY AND AGRTCUL'I'URE. 51 Absolute Desiccation of Plants and Vegetable Substances Period of Artiflcial Desiccation. Reversibility by Atmos- pheric Moisture MARCELLIN BERTHELOT (Compt. rend. 1904 139 702-716).-The results of experiments with different plants estab- lished the reversibility between evaporation in perfectly dry air of t,he water retained in ordinary air and the absorption of aqueous vapour i n ordinary air by plants dried by heating at 110'. The amount of water fixed by a dried plant is generally less than the amount necessary to a live plant.The reciprocity is therefore inde- pendent of vital action. N. H. J. M. Desiccation of Plants. Period of Vitality. Humectation by Liquid Water. Reversibility Imperfect. MAWELLIN BERTHELOT (Gompt. rend. 1904 139 '76 1-773).-Experiments on the absorption and exhalation of water by plants are described. Importance of Calcium and Magnesium Salts for Plants. FR. GOSSEL (Chem. Centr. 1904 ii 115'7 ; from Verb. Ges. Deut. iVtJ Aerxte 1903 ii 101-104).-The results of water- and soil-culture experiments failed to confirm Loew's theory that there must be a cer- tain relation of CaO MgO. I n water cultures the highest yields of barley and beans were obtained when CaO MgO = 0.4 1 instead of 1 1 for barley and 3 1 for beans as Loew states.The conclusion is drawn that a definite relation between the two bases is unnecessary and that the effect of lime depends espeoially on the character of the soil. N. H. J. &I N. H. J. M. Organic Compounds of Metals in Plants. CHARLES F. SCHLAGDENHAUFFEN and E. REEB (Compt. rend. 1904 139,980-983). -The residue obtained after incinerating the light petroleum extract of ripe barley consists of phosphoric acid and the phosphates of sodium calcium manganese and iron which existed in the plant as the distearylglycerophosphate of neurine and the metallic derivatives of other lecithins respectively (compare Abstr. 1902 ii 625). The residue similarly obtained from oats rye and wheat contained potass- ium instead of sodium.M. A. W. Evolution of the Weight and the Organic Matters of Leaves during Necrobiosis in White Light. L. REULAYUUE (Compt. rend. 1904 139 81 4-81 6).-AnaIyses are given of leaves of Bougainvillea spectab& which had been dried at 110" immediately after being detached and of similar leaves allowed to die gradually in boxes of colourless red yellow green and blue glass. These analyses were first made on the second day and again a t intervals of two days. The leaves mere well mixed every day. In' the present paper the results obtained with colourless glass are discussed. The total carbohydrates (in 100 leaves) diminished gradually from 3.566 grams on the second day to 2.400 grams on the twelfth. The sugar diminished slightly to the sixth day then slightly increased.The non-digestible proteid nitrogen and the nitrogen as nuclein increased regularly from 0.195 to 0.387 gram and from 0.182 to 0.273 4-252 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS. gram respectively. The nitrogen as amides was almost exactly the same on the twelfth day as on the second day but somewhat irregular results were obtained on the intermediate days. The results relating to total and to digestible proteids also show irregularities. N. H. J. M. Non-proteid Nitrogenous Constituents of Agricultural Plants. XRNST SCHULZE (J. Landw. 1904 52 305-336).-The amount of non-proteid in seeds varies considerably ; i t is highest in leguminous and lowest in cereal and oily seeds. Choline was found in all the seeds examined; betaine was found in vetches sunflower and wheat ; trigonelline in peas hemp and oats.Etiolated seedlings contain either asparagine or glutamine ; if both occur in the same plant the amount of the one greatly predominates over that of the other. Leguminous seedlings cereals and grasses and poppy contain asparagine whilst glutamine is found in pumpkins ricinus sunflower white mustard rape cress and radish Puc. Gluts- mine is however much less abundant than asparagine the maximum amount in these plants being 2.5 per cent. in the dry matter. More than 25 per cent. of asparagine is sometimes found. Etiolated plants also contain the hexone bases aminovaleric acid leucine phenyl- alanine and tyrosine. Nnclein bases occur only in small amounts. Roots and tubers resemble etiolated seedlings as regards their nitro- genous constituents.Asparagine or glutamine is nearly always the most abundant amide. Asparagine occurs in potatoes glutamine in sugar beet and mangolds. Tyrosine was obtained from potatoes ancl mangolds leucine arginine lysine and histidine from potatoes. Sugar beet contains besides glutamine aspnragine leucine tyrosine betaine arginine guanidine nuclein-bases carnine allantoin choline vernin and ricine. The green parts of plants contain a con- siderable number of amides but the amount actually separated was small. As regards food value it is probable that amides are more like proteids than carbohydrates as stated by Lehmann. N. H. J. M. Milk of Castilloa Elastica. ANNE W. K. DE JVNG (Be?.. 1904 3'7 4398-4399. Compare Abstr. 1904 ii 762,763).-The following were detected in the juice of Castilloa elastica proteids tannic acid an acid (C17H300& potassium chloride a sugar and a sub- stance the neutral solution of which assumed a green colour on exposure to the atmosphere.A. McK. Chemistry of Celery (Apium Graveolens). llilas BAMBERGEB and ANTON LANDSIEDL (iMonatsh. 1904,25 1030 -1034).-The aqueous extract of freshly-cut celery roots is found to contain asparagine tyrosine and mannitol. c. Y. Composition of Orange Juice. K. FARNSTEINER ancl W. STUBER (Zeit. Ncchr. Genussm. 1904 8 603-605).-The juices to which the following results refer were obtained from the various oranges afterVEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE. 53 the peel spongy. tissue and seed had been removed. juice only came into contact with wooden vessels.The expressed From oranges From of unknown origin. Valencia Grains per 100 c. c. Fresh. 1.0439 Specific gravity at 15' ...... Total solids dried 23 hours at 100" ..................... 10.73 Citric acid (anhydrous) ...... 1 a19 Total sugars(as invert sugar) S.26 mineral matters (ash) ...... 0.41 Alkalinity of ash (c.c. N/l acid) ........................ 5.40 Nitrogen ..................... 0.064 Glycerol ........................ 0.38 Alcohol ........................ 1.44" Polarisation in 200 mm. tube direct ............... - Polarisation in 200 mm. tube after inversion ...... 9 after boiling 1,0454 Phosphoric acid ............... - - Fermeked. oranges. 1.0084 1 *0464 1.0159 1.0466 3.55 10.92 1 *25 1.79 0-38 7-65 0-42 0.52 5.62 7.20 0.953 0.099 0.026 0.027 0-61 0.34 4.29 - - - 0.11" - - 3.16" From Messina oranges.1.045 1 1.0455 10.85 1-47 7.86 0.50 6.40 0.075 0.042 0.28 - + 2.45' - 3.66' w. P. s. The Formation of Formaldehyde in the Combustion of Tobacco. AUGUSTE TRILLAT (Compt. rend. 1904 139 742-744. Compare Abstr. 1904 i 713).-Tobaccos from various sources were burnt in the form of cigars cigarettes or in clay or wooden pipes and the formaldehyde in the products of combustion estimated as tetramethyl- diaminodiphenylmethane with the result that the quantity of form- aldehyde formed varies little with the origin of the tobacco and amounts to 0.05 t o 0.1 per cent. of the weight of the substance burnt ; the yield was slightly higher in the case of the clay than of the wooden pipe probably owing to surface catalytic action.The formaldehyde does not however exist in the free state in the products of combustion but combines with the nitrogenous bases (such as nicotine) (compare Schindelnieister Abstr. 1903 ii 115) also present in the tobacco smoke to form compounds which possess none of the deleterious properties of the two constituents. &I. A. W. Treatment of Soil with Ether Carbon Disulphide Chloro- form Benzene and Hydrogen Peroxide. Effect on the Growth of Plants. FRIEDRICH NOBBE and L. RICHTER (Landw. Versuchs- #tat. 1904 60 433-448).-Application of ether and hydrogen peroxide to soil in which peas were grown failed to sterilise i t and were rather favourable to growth than unfavourable. Ether applied as a n emulsion increased the produce 41.5 per cent.* A small quantity of aii alcoholic solution of salicylic acid had been added to this juice.54 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS. Further experiments in which oats were grown in soil treated with ether benzene carbon disulphide and chloroform showed that higher yields were obtained in every case than with untreated soil and that larger amounts of nitrogen and total ash were assimilated. The action extended to second crops after the odour of the substances applied had disappeared It is shown that the soils underwent no change. The increased results would seem to be due to a directly stimulating action of the substances employed or of their products of decomposition. N. H. J. M. Effect of Soil Sterilisation on Plant Development. CARL SCHULZE (Bied. Centr.1904 33 748-751 ; from Jahresb. Ver. Vertret. ccng. Bot. 1904).-Experiments are described in which various plants mere grown in normal and in sterilised arable and meadow soils. Sterilisation was effected by heating at 100' or a t 125". The different plants showed very different degrees of sensitiveness towards the decomposition products of the soil and the results also varied ac- cording to the nature of the original soil sterilised meadow soil being more injurious than sterilised arable soil. Mustard proved to be particularly sensitive whilst oats grown in sterilised arable soil showed very slight signs of injury. Plants which were able to recover from the injury due to the heating of the soil were sometimes much more luxuriant than those grown in normal soil.Sterilisation had least injurious effect on garden soil; oats grown in the sterilised soil showed no signs of injury and the yield was raised by 30-7'0 per ceut. The injurious effect of sterilisation on meadow soil is almost entirely overcome by the application of calcium carbonate. The yield OF mixed grasses was raised by more than 100 per cent. by sterilising and adding calcium carbonate. N. H. J. M. Similar results were obtained with mustard. Solubility of Soil Constituents. FELIX MACH (Chem. Centr. 1904 ii 1164-1165; from JTerh. Ges. Deut. iQf. Aerxte 1903 ii 9 1-94).-Ferric aluminium and tricalcium phosphates were dissolved t o some extent by water. Water containing hydrated silica only dissolved aluminium phosphate somewhat more than water alone. Water and humic acid dissolved two or three times as much a saturated solution of carbon dioxide much less ferric and aluminium phosphates but twice as much calcium phosphate as pure water. Calcium and magnesium carbonates are about twice as soluble in water and silica as in water alone.The solubility of gypsum was about the same in all the solvents. Carbon dioxide somewhat in- creased the solubility of felspar and oligoclase and still more the solubility of the calcium of desmine and natrolite. I n the case of muschelkalk and basalt carbon dioxide increased the solubility of every constituent except sulphuric acid and silica. N. H. J. M. Black Soils of Legienen Rossel in East Prussia. EDWIN BLANCK (Landw. Yersuchs-Stat 1904 60 407-418).-Complete chemical analyses and mechanical separations of several samples ofANALYTfCAL CHEMISTRY. 55 surface and subsoil ape giveii. The black soils both of East and West Yrussia contain riiuch less hunins than those of Russia. N. H. J. M. Humic Acids of Grey Sand and Brown Sandstone. ADOLF MAYER (Landw. Ver.suclis-Stcct. 1904 60 4’i5-480).-The humic acids of brown sandstone contain less carbon than those of grey sand. It is probable that the humic acids of grey sand are oxidised when ferric oxide is present and dissolve as ferrous salts of oxyhuiiiic acids. These are oxidised in the subsoil to insoluble ferric salts N. H. J. 31. Beet Molasses of Various Origin. TH. I_)iETRICH and FELIX MACH (Land,io. Vewuclis-Sttcct. 1904 60 347-357).-Analyses of twenty samples of molasses. The results include dry matter ash total sugar invert sugar total nitrogen proteid nitrogen nitric nitrogen carbon dioxide lime and alkalinity or acidity. N. H. J. 31.