158 On tbi Infiuence "which Oxygen ha 



and that another part is employed in the formation of car- 

 bonic acid gas with the carbon of the grain. But if the 

 quantity of the carbonic acid gas produced be greater than the 

 quantity of oxygen gas which has difappeared, we can only 

 conclude, that the corn is capable of producing from its 

 own fubitance, by the union of its carbon with the oxy- 

 gen gas of the atmofphere, a quantity of carbonic acid gas. 

 If the quantity, however, of the oxygen gas which has dif- 

 appeared be perfectly equal to that which contributes to the 

 formation of the carbonic acid gas during the progrefs ot the 

 germination, we may thence conclude that the oxygen gas 

 is not abforbpd by the grain, but only employed in the form- 

 ation of the c3jbonic acid gas. As no one has yet examined 

 which of thefe three cafes aAnally takes place (it having been 

 generally admitted that the oxygen gas is ablorbed by the 

 grain during the progrefs of germination, without its being 

 however proved), I n)ade, towards the end of the year I79>ij 

 the following experiments at the temperature of between 

 4- 6 and -f \i'' of Reaumur in the (hade. ' 



Experiment I. 



I fowed on a wet fpongc 31 peas, which together weighed 

 62 grains. The fponge was introduced on a fmall ilool under 

 a receiver which contained 13 j^ cubic inches of atmofpheric 

 air purified by lime-water. The aperture of the receiver was 

 clofed bv means of water, and the latter rofe in it to a fuffi- 

 cient height to prevent the efcape of the air during the change 

 of the atmofphere. 



In eio^ht days thefe peas had vegetated fo much that roots 

 were thrown out, of from three to four lines in length; the 

 •air in the receiver, in confcqucnce of the change occalioned 

 bv the temperature and preflure, was leflened one-thirteenth 

 part of its original volume. It now occupiied I2"55 cubic 

 inches, and lime-water indicated O'lO of carbonic acid 

 gas. The phofphoric eudiometer gave 0*04 of oxygen gas, 

 or 0*17 lefs than atmofpheric air. A hundred parts of nitrous 

 rro mixed in an equal quantity with the air in the receiver, 

 k'ft a rcfiduum of 188 parts. The lame mixture with atmo- 

 fpheric air, left a rcfiduum of ic_5 parts. If ve fuppofe, with 



Lavoifier, 



