The amounts of amide nitrogen, ammonia, allantoin and allantoate were determined in Phaseolus hysterinus Dur. and Glycine hispida L. during a growth period of 28 days. P. hys. grown under different conditions showed remarkable differences in the amount of allantoate. Allantoinase was present in both plants and some properties of the enzyme were described. Allantoate was broken down in P. hys. in a manner yet unknown.