H. BOTANY AND HORTICULTURE. 357 



by contributing in any way to the condensation of atmos- 

 pherical humidity. 28 (7, March^ 1872. 



PEOTEIXE-GRANULES, AXD ASPAEAGINE IX GERMIXATIOX. 



An exhaustive and interesting investigation of the so- 

 called aleuron-granules in nngermiuated seeds has lately 

 been conducted by W. Pfefler, embracing careful microscop- 

 ic examination, supplemented by new and ingenious micro- 

 chemical methods, and at times by detailed chemical analy- 

 sis. This has not only afforded reliable information in regard 

 to the chemical and physical constitution of these properly 

 called proteine-granules, but has also presented essentially new 

 views of their relations to other ingredients of seeds, as well 

 as of the part they play in their ripening and germination. 

 These granules present in all ripe seeds, and previously only 

 known with certainty to be intimately connect'Cd with the 

 proteine matter of the reserved food of the plant were found 

 to consist essentially of proteine substances, apparently in an 

 amorphous or in part crystalloid form. The latter having 

 a seemingly crystalline exterior, are made up entirely of pro- 

 teine matter, and are imbedded in the body of the granules, 

 Avhich likewise consist of proteine matter ; they can be soaked, 

 but are insoluble, in water ; and are not present in all seeds. 

 The mass of the granule may be insoluble, or partially or to- 

 tally soluble, in water, but is always soluble in dilute potash. 

 The proteine substances constituting it are, by themselves, 

 insoluble in water, but are rendered soluble by the presence 

 of phosphate of potash in the proteine mass. Other substances 

 are inclosed at times by the grannies, as oxalate of lime in 

 some cases ; and in all seeds, though not necessarily in all 

 the granules of the seeds, may be found globoids that is, 

 clusters of globular or botryoidal masses of compounds of 

 magnesia and lime, with a phosphoric acid associated with 

 some undetermined organic body. The oil of the seeds, ac- 

 cording to previous views, also present in the proteine-gran- 

 ules, is found exclusively in the matter filling the interstices 

 between the granules, which contains proteine matter, besides 

 the dried protoplasmic body of the cells. Some of these sub- 

 stances are always of the form that deports itself toward sol- 

 vents like the insoluble modification of egg albumen. The 

 proteine-granules first form, out of an emulsion of oily and al- 



