The literature dealing with corn and corn products is very extensive but we have failed to find in it any reference to the composition of corn pollen.In the process of fertilization and reproduction pollen plays a very important part.It would seem, therefore, that some knowledge of the kind and nature of the chemical compounds occurring in pollen would be of interest to plant physiologists.Different varieties of corn apparently produce pollen which varies greatly in composition.This fact might be of importance in cross-breeding.The present investigation was undertaken in order to contribute some information on the following points: (1) The approximate composition of corn pollen, (2) the principal inorganic constituents of the ash, and (3) the principal organic compounds contained in the pollen grains.Unfortunately, stress of other work has prevented us from completing the investigation, but we wish to publish this preliminary report giving the results which have been obtained up to the present time because our joint work will be interrupted during the coming year.EXPERIMENTAL.The pollen was gathered in the following manner: Corn tassels were cut off as the pollen sacs were opening.The tassels were spread out in thin layers on clean paper on the floor and allowed to dry.The pollen was then shaken out on clean paper and care-433
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Anderson et al. (1922) studied this question.