Presence of Azote in Seeds. 389 



with an acid, sulphurous acid was disengaged. The lower part of the 

 plate of lead had become brittle, on account of its combination -with 

 mercury. These results are easily explained. When the lead is in 

 contact with an alkaline or earthy chloride, such as that of magnesium, 

 a double chloride is formed ; magnesium is momentarily developed 

 by this reaction ; the lead becomes electro-negative, and the solution 

 electro-positive. The first attracts the mercury of the sulphuret, 

 while the sulphur, which is the electro-negative element, acts upon 

 the double chloride by the intermedium of the infinitely small stratum 

 of liquid which adheres to the glass. This possesses peculiar proper- 

 ties, which M. B. has lately described. One portion of the sulphur com- 

 bines with the lead of the double chloride, and gives rise to a sulphuret 

 which crystallizes, whilst the other combines with the chloride of mag- 

 nesium, and the chlorine which was combined with the lead : whence 

 results a sulpho-chloride of magnesium. 



When the operation is continued for many months, the fluid in 

 the part adjacent to the sulphuret of mercury becomes of a reddish 

 tint, which is that of the chloride of sulphur. No trace of lead remains 

 in solution, which is a proof that it is entirely precipitated by the sul- 

 phur. The crystallization of the sulphuret can be attributed only to 

 the slowness with which it is formed. 



The small stratum of liquid alluded to as adhering to the glass 

 favours the circulation of the electric fluid. The natural crystals of 

 sulphuret of lead are either cubes or octahedrons, or combinations of 

 these two forms : the tetrahedron, which is the form of the artificial 

 compound, is comprehended in the same crystalline system. — An. de 

 Chim. et de Phys. May, 1833. 



PRESENCE OF AZOTE IN SEEDS. 



M. Gay-Lussac remarks, that some seeds contain azote is a well- 

 known fact, since a substance of an animal nature may be extracted 

 from them, as gluten from wheat flour ; but he observes that he has 

 no where seen it stated that all seeds contain an animalized matter. 



To be satisfied that is the case, however, it is requisite only to sub- 

 mit any seed to distillation, either in its natural state, or, what is bet- 

 ter, deprived of its ligneous envelope. 



Nevertheless, am moniacal products are not always immediately ob- 

 tained by distillation. Rice, for example, gives a very acid product ; 

 but the presence of ammonia is easily proved by the addition of lime. 

 Kidney beans, and many other similar seeds, give a very ammoniacal 

 product. In general, any grain, deprived of its envelope, maybe con- 

 sidered as composed of two parts, one vegetable, which gives an acid 

 product by distillation, and the other animal, yielding ammonia ; so 

 that the acid or alkaline character depends upon the predominance of 

 one or other of these matters. 



M. Gay-Lussacsubmitted all grains which came in his way to distilla- 

 tion, and all of them gave ammonia, the greater number immediately, 

 and the others after the addition of lime; and he considers that this 

 circumstance will explain the nutritive quality of grain, and the asto- 

 nishing fertilizing property of seeds as manure, after the oil has been 

 extracted from them. — Ibid. 



