240 Proceedings. 



of the desired ferments by keeping a sufficient supply of 

 the necessary ingredients ; and secondly, of no minor im- 

 portance, how either to get rid of the excremental matter 

 by separating it out, or combining it in such a manner as 

 to make it uninjurious to the other ferments. Could the 

 alcohol formed during alcoholic fermentation be removed, 

 the yield would be much greater. The temperature has 

 great influence on the formation of certain products during 

 fermentation. When a mash is kept below 65° C. starch is 

 converted into maltose and dextrin according to the follow- 

 ing equation: 4C6H10O5 + 2H20 = Ci8Hs40i7 + CeHwOs. 

 Maltose is fermentable, dextrin only slightly so. Should the 

 mash be kept close to 75° C, maltose and dextrin are formed 

 according to the following equation: 6C6H10O5 + 2H0O 

 = C18H34O17 + CcHioOe. Schlosing and Miintz have shown 

 that nitrification is due to the action of ferments. Etard 

 and Olivier assert that the sulphates of arable earth are 

 dissociated by bacteria. The author had the pleasure of 

 showing that the nitrates of dead plants are dissociated 

 by ferments and the nitrogen returned to the atmos- 

 phere. It has been claimed that the growing of plants 

 and the ripening of fruits are nothing but consecutive 

 fermentations where special cells play the part of fer- 

 ments. Pasteur claims that the power of resolving 

 glucose into alcohol and carbonic acid, or changing it into 

 lactic acid, and that again into a mixture of hydrogen, 

 carbonic, and butyric acids does not belong for each special 

 fermentation to a single organism, to a single ferment, or to a 

 species very nearly allied, as for instance the Saccharoniyces, 

 but that these reactions are the result of cell life in general, 

 when the organic cells are placed under special conditions. 

 Lechartier and Bellamy have been led to the important 

 conclusion that the elementary organs of plants in general 

 are endowed, though in a less degree than the cells of 

 yeast, with the property of exciting alcoholic fermentation. 



