524 ON THE FECULA OF GREEN PLANTS. 



Albumen has To conclude; albumen has not yet been difcovered in vc- 



«* been dif- ge tables. Though it is not to be thence inferred, that it is 



covered in . . 



vegetables, impoflible it fliould be formed there as" well as in animals. 



The time in which we live, more fertile than ever in obfer- 

 vations, convinces us daily that there are few products, either 

 of one kingdom or the other, which can be truly confulered 

 as exclufive. Neverthelefs it muft be admitted that in en- 

 deavouring to eftablifh the exiftence of albumen to the exelu- 

 fion of the gluten of green plants, the learned author of the 

 " Syftem" has depended too much on the feeble fupport of a 

 fimple appearance. It appears to me that, before ftating the 

 exiftence of the albumen, he ought to have ftrengthened his 

 firft opinion with facts more conclufive than the (ingle one of 

 concrefcibility. Let us not however overlook that, in fo vaft 

 an enterprife as his, it is very difficult for an author to bring 

 all his materials together with equal precifion. 

 Remarks on It will be in the fame difpofition that I (hall extend thefe 



other objects, conclusions to the other products, placed by Fourcroy, without 

 fufficient examination, among the glutinous fubftances of ve- 

 getables. 



There exifts, fays he, an obfervatian more exact and more 

 pofitive than that of Rouelle upon the prefence of this gluti- 

 nous matter in the vegetable texture which forms linen, paper, 

 &c. p. 296. vol. vii. It is fufficient to recall this paffage to 

 the recollection of its author. More details on my part, would 

 have too much the appearance of cenfure. I think Fourcroy 

 will fupprefs it in a new edition as well as that relative to the 

 pafle of mallows. If this pafte be entitled to be placed in the 

 clafs of the animalifed products of vegetables^ almond pafte, 

 and thofe of frangepane, eggs, marmalade, &c. are equally 

 deferving to be fo arranged. 

 Bird-lime is a With refpect to the bird-lime mentioned in the fame chap- 

 jtmd of turpen- tc ^ .^ y un i V erfally known to be only a kind of turpentine, 

 an inflammable aromatic refin, foluble in alcohol, formed by 

 vegetation in the fibrous texlure of the holly-oak, in the fruit 

 of the elder, perhaps in its bark, and in other plants, but in 

 no refpect a glutinous fubftance. 

 Green fccula x Potafh eafily diflblves green fecula, and divides it into 



and leaves woody two P arts J one " n ' tes lt ^ to tne folvent and the other is fe- 

 xnatter# parated in the form of a green powder which is not affected by 



a new quantity of potafh. This powder, being wafhed and 



dried. 



