CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. 258 
If we remove with great care, by means of a piece of silk paper,* 
the liquids in which we steeped the piece of sugar-cane used in our 
experiments, and if we replace it by water, suffering the piece of cane 
to steep for some minutes, we remark that the tissues become more 
transparent ; but the violet color always remains in the thicker por- 
tions, especially in the cells. These have a hole in their center. 
If we deprive of water + the specimen of Chinese Sugar Cane under- 
going experiment, and replace this water by anhydrous alcohol, we 
observe a decoloration of the tissues and the separation of the portion 
which had formed the lace; this detaches itself from the piece, lets 
escape a large number of entirely colorless crystals, and ends by taking 
on the appearance of a hempen thread, which should be placed in the 
field of the microscope and examined at the magnitude which was em- 
ployed by us at the commencement. We shall find, floating in the 
liquid, some violet cells, which have preserved their rounded form. As 
to the piece which did not dissolve, it maintains the appearance indi- 
cated in the preceding experiments. 
Another piece of filament, taken from the same place, and submitted 
to the same magnifying power of five hundred diameters, has seemed 
to us organized ; it represents a fragment of hemp, with the exception 
that the latter is white throughout the greater part of its length. 
Submitted to the action of pure sulphuric acid for about an hour, we 
observe the separation of the cells ; the filaments take the appearance 
of threads of hemp seen by the naked eye, and placed beside each 
other we observe some disaggregated cells; the filaments have a black 
color. 
No change caused by the addition of anhydrous alcohol. The tinc- 
ture of iodine added to the mixture, makes to appear slight violet or 
bluish spots. 'The general tint is observed to be diminished in inten- 
sity. The entire liquid is sprinkled with white crystals. 
The specimen which we are about to study is taken from the center 
of the cane. We were at pains to separate it entirely from the threads 
which we have just dissected ; it presents to the naked eye the appear- 
*It will readily be conceived that it is impossible to accomplish the entire removal 
of all foreign matter. 
+ We cannot say but that a little water has actually remained after all our precau- 
tions, 
