Saussure on the Action of Flowers. 317 



but the 0.09 of sulphur require 0.16 of metallic iron to form a 

 proto-sulphuret ; and if we deduct besides 0.18 for the 0.25 of 

 oxide of iron, obtained from the chromate, there will remain 

 1.42 of metallic free iron, containing only the nickel and the 

 manganese. Of the fall of the above aerolite, some account is 

 given in this Journal, xiv. 448. — A7in. de Chim. et de Phys. 

 xxi. 324. 



Chemistry of Organized Bodies. 



13, Analysis of the Fruit of Areca Catechu. By M. B. Morin, 



Apothecary. 

 The tree called areca catechu by Linnaeus, grows abundantly 

 in the Molucca isles, in Ceylon, and several other of the south- 

 ern countries of Asia. Its constituents are; 1. Gallic acid; 

 2. A large quantity of tannin ; 3. Acetate of ammonia ; 4. A 

 peculiar principle analogous to that found in the leguminous 

 plants ; 5. An insoluble red matter ; 6. A fatty matter, composed 

 of elaine and stearine ; 7. Volatile oil ; 8. Gum ; 9. Oxalate of 

 lime ; 10, Ligneous fibre ; 11. Mineral salts ; 12. Oxide of iron 

 and silica. Journ. de Pharm. Oct. 1822. p. 455. 



14. On the Action of Flowers on Air, and on their Temperature. 



By M. Theodore de Saussure. 



The flowers, even of aquatic plants, do not develope them- 

 selves in media deprived of oxygen gas ; they require for the 

 support of their vegetation a greater proportion of this gas than 

 the rest of the plant. The green parts are often so abundant in 

 the leaves, that they can of themselves form the atmosphere 

 necessary to their existence ; but it is not so with the flowers. 



Several among them, as the rose, preserve, it is true, their 

 corolla for a shorter time in the air than in vacuo or in azotic 

 gas; but, when we expect to withdraw them still fresh, they 

 exale an unwholesome smell, their petals aro corrupted, and 

 we perceive that this apparent life concealed a real death, 

 while the fall of the blossom in the air is only an efFect and a 

 proof of vegetation. 



When we place a flower under a receiver full of air, and shut 

 by mercury, it changes little or nothing the volume of the air, 

 while oxygen is present. It absorbs this gas, replacing it by 

 a nearly equal volume of carbonic acid; wea/7y, because occa- 

 sional! j there is observed in the air, a slight diminution of volume, 

 owing to porous absorption. M. de Saussure has not been able 

 to find any trace of hydrogen in the air in which flowers have 

 vegetated. His first trials made him imagine that they exhaled 

 a small quantity of azote ; but he has not confirmed this result. 

 In estimating the quantity of oxygen destroyed by flowers, he 

 weighs the latter, and takes their specific gravity as equal to 

 that of water. The volume of oxygen consumed, is referred to 



