DECOMPOSITION OF NON-NITROGENOUS ORGANIC MATTER 431 



has been suggested. 12 On hydrolysis, it gives a molecule of glucose 

 and one of cellobiose, the latter breaking down to two molecules of 

 glucose. 13 



In the earlier literature, especially on the transformation of plant 

 materials in the composting of manure and in soil, the conception of 

 cellulose has frequently been confused with that of "crude fiber." 

 However, the two are not identical, and it is essential to know how 

 to measure quantitatively the well defined chemical complex, namely, 

 the cellulose. For this purpose, the method of Charpentier 14 is most 

 suitable. 



Schweitzer's reagent is prepared by dissolving 200 grams-CuSC^ in hot water, 

 then precipitating with a calculated amount of ammonia (23 grams NH3 or 99 cc. 

 of ammonia water, specific gravity 0.90). The excess of ammonia is neutralized 

 with sulfuric acid. The precipitate is washed 3-4 times by decantation, then 

 filtered on a Buchner funnel through a hardened filter paper. The hardened pre- 

 cipitate is dissolved in sufficient ammonia water (specific gravity 0.91), by shak- 

 ing for 4 to 5 hours, so that 100 cc. of reagent contains 1.5 grams Cu (5 cc. of 

 reagent is evaporated over sulfuric acid under a bell-jar, dried and heated to 

 constant weight and weighed as CuO). 



Twenty grams of soil previously treated with finely divided cellulose are 

 placed in a cylinder of 150 cc. capacity with 100 cc. of the Schweitzer reagent. 

 The cylinder is closed and shaken, in a special shaking machine, for 30 minutes; 

 the suspension is then allowed to settle. The solution is filtered through as- 

 bestos in a Gooch crucible and 50 cc. of the filtrate are precipitated with 200 cc. 

 of SO per cent alcohol. The precipitate is filtered through a Gooch crucible and 



12 Bertrand, G., and Benoist, S. Sur un nouveau Sucre, le procellose, obtenu 

 a partir de la cellulose. Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci., 176: 1583-1587. 1923. 



13 Further information on the chemistry of celluloses is given by Schwalbe, 

 C. G. Die Chemie der Cellulose unter besonderer Beriicksichtigung der Textil- 

 und Zellstoffindustrien. Berlin, Borntraeger. 1911; Czapek, F. Biochemie 

 der Pflanzen. Bd. 1, p. 645. Heuser, 1923 (p. 427). Pringsheim, 1923 (p. 427). 

 Euler, A. C. Uber die Konstitution der Zellulose und der Zellobiose. Chem. 

 Ztg., 46: 977-998. 1921. Hibbert, H. Studies on the chemistry of cellulose. 

 I. The constitution of cellulose. Jour. Ind. Engin. Chem., 13: 256-260; 334- 

 342. 1921; Cross, C. F., and Bevan, E. J. Cellulose. Longmans, Green & Co., 

 London. 1916; Karrer, P. Einfiihrung in die Chemie der polymeren Kohlen- 

 hydrate. Akad. Verlagsgesellsch. Leipzig. 1925. 



14 Charpentier, C. A. G. Studien uber den Einfluss des Rindvieh- und Pfer- 

 destallmistes auf die Zersetzung der Zellulose in der Ackererde. Thesis. Univ. 

 Helsingfors. 1921. Also Meddel. No. 205 Centralanst. forsoksv. jordbruck. 

 Bakteriol. Avdel. No. 22, Stockholm. 1920. On the preparation of Schweitzer's 

 reagent, see Dischendorfer, O. Uber das Zellulosereagens Kupferoxydammoniak. 

 Ztschr. wiss. Mikrosk., 39: 97. 1922. General methods of cellulose deter- 

 mination are given by Cross and Bevan. 



