ON THE FECXfLA OF GREEN PLANTS. 27 



Offome other fecula left known. 

 When five or fix pounds of faffron are operated upon at the Fecua from 

 fame time in order to obtain the volatile oil and extract, a 

 fine powder is obfervable in the decoction, which renders it 

 cloudy, precipitates, and may befeparated by {training. This 

 powder warned affumes in drying the contraction and horn-like 

 appearance of the green fecula in fummer; it putrefies rapidly 

 and becomes food for worms if care be not taken. In the 

 fire this fecula yields all the produces of gluten. With alcalis 

 and lemon-juice, it tinges filk of very brilliant yellow. ; j 



1 » 



Borage. 



A plant may contain gluten in two ftates: the one, in the from borage j 

 fecula ; the other, diffolved in its juice by means of potafh. •■■*•" 



Such is the juice of borage; clarified, it is thick and of a 

 light blue colour ; a few drops of acid feparate from it a cheefy 

 curd which may be collected on the filtre, and is nothing but 

 gluten. 



Elder. Dwarf Elder. 

 The berries, in themidftof an highly coloured, very gummy, from elder and 

 and flight by faccharine juice, contain a fecula as green as that war € cr * 

 of fpinach when it has been well purified from its red colour. 

 Alcohol extracts from it a green tincture ; the refidue is a 

 gluten not at all different from that of fecula. 



On crufhing thefe berries their bird-lime (ticks to the fingers ; 

 it is of the fame confiftence as that from the holly-oak : fub- 

 mitted to fermentation thefe juices yield a very fmall quantity 

 of fpirit of a difagreeable fmell. It is fucceeded by an aftonifh- 

 ing quantity of very good diftilled vinegar. 



Buckthorn. 

 Its juice, which contains a very naufeous bitter extract with from Buck- 

 gum and a little fugar, is thickened with a greenifh mud/ ° rn: 

 which is feparated from it by heat and fermentatrbn. This 

 pulp, well wafhed, is of a clear green ; it is gluten mixed 

 with a fmall quantity of fibre. It affords carbonate of am- 

 monia, &c. 



Vie Rofe. 

 Its petals yield by trituration a fine lightly coloured fecula, from the rofe. 

 which affords the fame products as gluten* 



Grapes* 



