1919] 



SCHMITZ — STUDIES IN THE DECAY OF WOOD 



99 





filtered through No. 4 Whatman filter-paper and the filtrat 



tested for reducing substances by Shaffer 

 the determination of susrars. 



14) method for 



In table n the amounts of reducing substances, calculated 



mgs. of copper 



Ten cc. of the sample were used 



each 



The potassium permanganate solution used 



the titration was 1/20 normal. The reduction value for the 

 Fehling control has been subtracted. 



TABLE II 



AMOUNT OF REDUCING SUBSTANCES CALCULATED AS MILLIGRAMS OF COPPER 



IN 10 CC OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACTS 



Flask no. 



45 

 46 



47 



1 

 2 

 3 



4 



5 

 7 



8 



9 



10 



11 

 12 

 13 



^» 



Interval of autoclaving 



Not autoclaved 



45 minutes 



1 hour, 45 minutes 



11 hours 



21 hours 



Amount of 



reducing 



substances 



in 10 cc. of 

 the extracts 



2.22 

 2.22 

 2.22 



5.88 

 6.04 



5.72 



7.68 



7.52 

 7.68 



10.99 

 11.13 



20.98 

 21.08 

 18.76 



Average 



2.22 



5.88 



7.63 



11.06 



20.27 



It is clearly evident that the amount of reducing substances 

 present in the aqueous extracts gradually increases with an 

 increase in the time of autoclaving. It is quite probable also 

 that some of the reducing power of the aqueous extracts is due 

 to the presence of sugars. Fromherz ( '07) has shown that on 

 treating wood with hot water under pressure considerable 

 quantities of sugar may be formed from the lignocelluloses and 

 other wood components. It is claimed by Schwalbe ( '11) that 

 as pure a cellulose as cotton will yield considerable quantities 

 of sugar when subjected to the same treatment. 



