On the Ft'cuia of Green Plants. f jp 



taching itself in greater quantity to that which has saved 

 itself from destruction. In a word, this fecula gives by 

 distillation annnoniacal products. 



XI. An acid of eighteen or twenty decrees of the areo- 

 meter disengages in abundance the azote from green fecula. 

 A stronger acid dissolves it with facility, and separates from 

 it a little of the powder, which is the ligneous remains of 

 the plant. With whatever cecononjy the nitric acid is ma- 

 naged, the oxalic acid is rarely obtained crj'stallized. It re- 

 solves itself into water and carbonic acid. 



Solution of fecula always contains the bitter yellow of 

 Welter, sulphuric acid, benzoic acid, oxalate of 'lime and 

 tallow. If the solution of fecula cliarged with iron, that 

 of sokuium licopersicon, be precipitated with acetite of 

 lead, a powder composed of oxalate and phosphate of lead 

 and of oxide of iron is obtained. By heating it with the 

 blowpipe the lead is burnt and even dissipated," and nothing 

 remains but a globule of phosphate of iron. 



When a vegetable product contains azote, sufphur, phos- 

 phorus, benzoic acid, tallow, bitter vellow and iron in 

 abundance, one may rest assured that it belongs to the class 

 of animalized substances. 



Of [Fax. 



XII. Wax is the work of vegetation, and not of bees. 

 It is, in iny opinion, by nourisliiiig themselves with the 

 gluten, which accompanies it in the farina of the stamina, 

 that they eflect a separation of it. This farina gives abun- 

 dance of ammonia, which induces me to believe that it 

 contains gluten ; and at present, since I have discovered wax 

 in certain feculae, I presume that if this farina were treated 

 w ith nitric acid wax mia^ht be found in it. 



Fecula of the small joubarbe gave me a quantity which 

 surprised me. This wax is white, dry and brittle, and has 

 no smell : it cannot be confounded with the sebaceous pro- 

 ilucts given by other feculre, those of hemlock and of the 

 solaiuun. Messrs. Fernandez and Chabanean, to assure 

 liieniselves of it, examined it, chew ed it, and were convinced 

 that this product is nothing else than perfect wax. 



The fecula of green cabbage gave me some of it also, but 

 much less. Wax ajipears to me ro be the varnish which 

 vcgclation extends o\(;r plants to secure them no doubt 

 hum the effects of mouldincss, which might injure their 

 health. It is this varnish which divides rain and dew into 

 pearly drops on the cabbage leaves, those of the poppy, and 

 Biany others which exhibit to us that agreeable spectacle in 

 i our 



