125 



separately, and glacial phosphoric acid, phosphate of lime, phos- 

 phate of magnesia and ammonia were obtained. The proportions 

 in the ashes of the whole corn was but 1 per ct. of phosphates of 

 lime, magnesia and free phosphoric acid, and a little silica. 



The cotyledons taken separately gave 6.4 per ct. of fusible mat- 

 ter, which ran freely when melted. It consisted of 



Phos lime, 2.4 



Phos. acid, - - - 3.2 



Phos. magnesia, - - 0.8 



He also made an extensive series of researches on other seeds, 

 both of the Monocotyledonous and Dicotyledonous plants, which 

 determined the existence of the phosphates exclusively in their 

 cotyledons. The specimens to which Mr. Hayes' test had been 

 applied, and which were exhibited to the Society, were peas and 

 beans of various kinds, squash and pumpkin seeds, horse chesnuts, 

 the common chesnut, pea-nut, barley, oats, wheat, rye, buck- 

 wheat and cocoa-nut ; also potatoe tubers and turnip bulbs. In all 

 these the existence of phosphates was demonstrated. 



In almonds, walnuts, butternuts, and most oily seeds, the sul- 

 phate of copper fails to demonstrate the presence of phosphates. 



The application of tincture of iodine proved the presence and 

 limits of starch in the turnip, and in several other plants which 

 were exhibited. 



A sample of the hard and transparent portion of Indian corn, 

 from which the oil and zeine had been removed by alcohol and 

 ether, was proved by the iodine test to be starch. It was observed 

 that weak tincture of iodine does not color this portion of the corn 

 until the oil is removed. If strong tincture of iodine is employed, 

 the alcohol removing the oil causes the freed starch to take the 

 blue color. 



Beans and peas, consisting mostly of legumine, discovered by 

 Braconnot, do not take a blue color like the starch containing 

 grains, but become dark brown. 



Specimens of various germinated and growing plants were also 

 tested before the Society. In the potatoe sprout the starch was 

 traced up into the plumule about half an inch, where it disappeared, 

 and dextrine was present, the starch having undergone a metamor- 

 phosis into that substance. Similar experiments were tried on In- 



