376 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Dec. 



Cellulose 



Carbon, 44-44 



Hydrogeu, 6*17 



Nitrogen, - 



Oxygen, 49-39 



100-00 100-00 100-00 



This diflference is not less striking when we reduce the above 

 centesimal analyses to correspond with the formula of cellulose, 

 C24H20O20 and represent Cork and Lycopodium as containing 24 

 equivalents of carbon. For comparison I give the composition of 

 specimens of Peat, Brown Coal, Lignite and Bituminous Coal.^ 



Cellulose, C24 H20 O20 



Cork, C-25H8iA06ffi 



Lycopodium, - C24 H]9f^ NOsf^ 



Peat, (Vaux), ----- C24 H14 f^- Oio 



Brown Coal, (Schrother), C24 Hi4-j3,- Oiof;^ 



Lignite, (Vaux), - C24 Hn-^i^ Og/^ 



Bituminous Coal, (Regnault), C24 Hio OS'i^^- 



It will be seen from this comparison that, in ultimate composi 

 tion, Cork and Lycopodium are nearer to Lignite than to woody 

 fibre ; and may be converted into coal with far less loss of carbon 

 and hydrogen than the latter. They in fact approach closer in 

 composition to resins and fats than to wood, and moreover like 

 tho?e substances repel water, with which they are not easily 

 moistened, and thus are able to resist those atmospheric influences 

 which efifect the decay of woody tissue." 



I would add to this only one further consideration. The 

 Nitrogen present in the Lycopodium spores no doubt belongs to 

 the protoplasm contained in them, a substance which would soon 

 perish or decay ; and substracting this, the cell-walls of the spores 

 and the walls of the spore-cases would be most suitable material 

 for the production of bituminous coal. But this suitableness 

 they share with the epidermal tissue of the scales of Strobites, 

 and of the stems and leaves of Ferns and Lycopods ; antl above 

 all with the thick corky envelope of the stems of Sigillarije and 

 similar trees, which as I have elsewhere shown, j from its condition 



* Canadian Naturalist, vi. 253. 



t Vegetable structures in Coal, Jouru. Geol. Soc. xv, 6-26. Conditions 

 of Accumulation of Coal. lb. xxii, 95 ; Acadian Geology, 197, 464. 



