10 The Plant World. 



The latter condition having been observed by me in a Japanese 

 fruit treated with ethyl nitrite, and may be due to the hastening 

 of the normal processes. The retention of its elastic qualities 

 by the tannin-mass, even in cells which have been washed and 

 dried and again wetted, and in those which have been recovered 

 after normal digestion, is of importance. 



The evidence which so far has been offered indicates that 

 the tannin-mass which extrudes is not attacked by water. I 

 must further hold that there is no granulation on contact with 

 water, as described by Howard. I have, to be sure, observed the 

 same appearance said by him to take place, namely, the occur- 

 rence (.f whitish particleswhere the extrusion has appeared, (fig. 14) 

 This mass is in part protoplasm which is forced out of the cell at 

 the same time as the tannin-mass. One may observe that it con- 

 tains the carotin masses, which are not to be found in the tannin- 

 mass. Treatment with dilute acids results in the solution 

 (by chemical change) of the tannin-mass, but with the retention 

 of the granular portion without change of form. The appearance 

 of the whitish granulation therefore is independent of the be- 

 havior of the tannin-mass. A fuller consideration. of the origin 

 of this granular matter must be reserved until more evidence 

 has been gained. 



During a condition of considerable hydration, the applica-. 

 tion of ferric chloride causes shrinkage in the tannin-mass. As 

 Howard has observed, the staining of this proceeds more slowly 

 if the cell is not ruptured. The reason for this is the fact that 

 this reagent does not penetrate the pectocellulose wall*as rapidly 

 as it does the naked tannin-mass. This is proved by my obser- 

 vation that the earliest staining of the tannin-mass in an unrup- 

 tured cell frequently takes place in the areas opposite the shallow 

 pores in the cell wall. Indeed this is an excellent, although 

 indirect method of demonstrating the presence of these pores. 

 Howard's statement that if the ferric chloride solution is about 

 isotonic with the solution it will burst in the cell can not be of 

 significance in this connection, since a very dilute solution which 

 will cause the cells to burst and extrude their contents will, im- 

 mediately after the extrusion has proceeded somewhat, cause the 

 tannin -mass to shrink again and withdraw within the cell wall, 

 leaving the granular matter extruding. The tannin-cells are not, 



*The cell-wall reacts blue with iodine. 



