1866. | Chemistry. 575 
roots of the Lucerne. When these roots are dried and crushed 
they leave visible thousands of very white fibres, which form an 
excellent pulp for the manufacture of paper, and a good substitute 
for rags. The species of Lucerne employed for this purpose are 
Medicago media, M. falcata, and M. maculata.* 
A paper, entitled “ Investigations as to the Rottenness of Fruits 
and other parts of Living Vegetables,” by M. C. Davaine, has been 
communicated by M. Ch. Robin, to the French Academy, and appears 
in ‘ Comptes Rendus, No. 8, August 20, 1866. The experiments 
of M. C. Davaine recorded in this paper prove that the rottenness 
of fruits is the result of the attacks of fungi, the different varieties 
in the form of the decay being produced by generic differences in 
the attacking fungi by the spores of which the fruit has been ino- 
culated. Thus the rottenness determined by a Mucor or a Penicillium 
differs in density and colour as well as in rapidity of development ; 
and all the other Mucedinez produce a rottenness so characteristic, 
that the name of the fungus which produced the mischief may be at 
once determined ; for example, a Helminthosporiwm which attacks 
the carrot, produces a black putridity; a Selenosportwm? Corda, 
which M. Davaine observed upon the cucumber, and which he pro- 
pagated on this fruit, gives a beautiful red colour to the flesh of the 
cucumber, whilst the rottenness of the same fruit resulting from the 
invasion of a Mucor or a Penzcilliwm has no particular coloration. 
M. Davaine deduces the following conclusions from his experiments : 
—1. The common Mucedinez which develope on inert substances 
are able also to be generated on living organisms, and it is not 
necessary that the organism should be altered by disease in order 
to form a suitable nidus for the development of the spores; it is 
sufficient that the tissues be inoculated with them even when in a state 
of health. 2. The consequences resulting from the development of 
these fungi is a profound alteration of the tissues or structure of 
the part of the plant invaded, designated commonly by the term 
rottenness. 3. This rottenness varies with the character of the 
Mucedines by which it is determined; the most usual conditions 
under which rottenness developes being atmospheric humidity. 
IV. CHEMISTRY. 
(Including the Proceedings of the Chemical Society.) 
M. Sras, of Brussels, has for many years been engaged upon 
experiments to determine the atomic weights of a few simple bodies. 
* Sce * Journal de Chemie Médicale de Pharmacie de Toxicologic,’ par M. A. 
Chevallier, August, 1866, 
