24 ABSTRACTS OF CHEBIIGAL PAPERS. Chemistry of Vegetable Physiology and Agriculture. Cellulose in Bacilli and other Fungi. By I. DREYFUSS (Zeit. physiol. Chern., 18, 358-379) .-The organisms investigated were Y o l y p o r q Agaricus campestris, Bacillus szcbtilis, pus bacilli, and Aspergillus gZaucus, It was found that all contain “ true cellulose,” in E. Schulze’s sense. The presence of hemi-cellulose is very doubtf ul. Cellulose was also found in caseating lymph glands, and thus an observation of Freund’s is confirmed. It doubtless is due to t,he bacilli in the tuberculous deposits. W. D. H. Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide by Cells. By A. GOTT- STElN (Vh-chow’s Archiu, 133, 295-307) .- Liebreich was the first toVEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE. 25 use hydrogen peroxide for distinguishing between living bacteria and those killed by heat, the former decomposing the peroxide, the latter not, This evolution of oxygen is here recommended as a macroscopic test for the presence of bacteria, for instance, in drinking water.Many living cells act in the same way, so also do certain prote'ids, such as fibrin, which are non-living. The present experiments show that this power of the cells does not necessarily depend on the life of the cells ; many vigorous antiseptics do not prevent it ; certain substances, however, which are not anti- septics in the narrow sense do destroy the power ; those particularly mentioned being hydrocyanic acid, chloral hydrate, and chloral cyan- hydrin. Heating to 70" destroys the power, unless the cells are dried, when i t bas not this effect.. It is further shown that nucle'in prepared from yeast, pus, liver, and other cells possesses the power of decomposing hydrogen per- oxide. Negative results were, however, obtained with nucleic acid and artificial nuclein, but the number of experiments in which these were used was small. The theory is advanced that cells, bacteria, and mote'ids act in this way in virtue of the nucle'in thev contain. and the L .I process is regarded as a chemical rather than a catalytic phenomenon. W. D. H. Cause of Electric Currents observed in Plants. By 0. HAACK'E (Ann. Agron., 19, 396-399 ; from B o t . Centr., 54, 13) .-According to Kunckel, electric currents in plants are due to the movements of water in the tissues, and not to differences of potential, existing independently.The author considered it probable that vegetable electricity was due to bioIogica1 processes, especially respiration and the consequent chemical changes. He experimented with leaves and flowers of dicotyledons and on a large mushroom in an atmosphere of hydrogen. The electric current was diminished, but never quite sup- pressed, owing, probably, to intramolecular respiration. On readmit- ting air, the electric current revives. Young bean plants behaved difterently, the current being increased in an atmosphere of hydrogen. This is explained by the knownfact that beans are distinguished by a very high intramolecular respiration. Flowers, and especially stamens and pistils, show very decided oscillations under the influence of electric currents.It is not possible to state exactly in what manner respiration gives rise to electric currents without a knowledge of the successive chemical changes which take place during respiration. The results of the author's experiments seem to indicate that vegetable elec- tricity is not exclusively due to filtration of water. N. H. M. Influence of Carbonic Oxide on Germination. By A. MAR- CACCI (Chenz. Centr., 1893, ii, 376; from Arch. ital. BioE., 19, 140).- Carbonic oxide, in a similar manner to chloroform and ether, prevents the germination of seeds, and retards the process of putrefaction and the growth of micro-organisms. By A. N. MONTEVERDE (Ann. Agron., 19, 444-446 ; from B G ~ . Centr., Bei- E. C. R. Mannitol and Dulcitol in the Vegetable Kingdom.26 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS.hefte 3, 199).-Mannitol and dulcitlol are true plastic substances in the case of Rhinanthus, E'zcphrasia, and Melampyrum ; they disappear when the plants are kept in the dark, and reappear under more favour- able biological conditions ; but they nourish only such plants as con- tain them normally. When Rhinanthus and Euphrasia are fed with glucose or cane sugar, mannitol is produced ; Melampyritm similarly fed yields dulcitol. Scrophdaria nodosa, contrary t o what has been stated, conrains neither one nor the other, and has not the power of transforming them into starch. Euonymus europceus contains much dulcitol at the budding period, but none in winter. The same holds (for mannitol) in the case of Syringa vulgaris. An examination of 797 species of ScrophuZariacece showed that mstnnitol is present in 272 species, dulcitol in 26 species. It thus seems that the presence of one or the other of these carbohydrates is a constant character not only of an order, but also of a sub-order. Mannitol occurs in some Oro- banchucect), in the OZeacece (A. Mayer) in celery and parsley. Some Celastrncece contain dulcitol. N. H. M.