PROCESS OF NUTRITION. CHAP. III. 



SECTION VII. 

 Decomposition of IVater. 



Inferred ALTHOUGH the opinion was proved to be ground- 

 bfer Lr less, by which water had been supposed to be con- 

 vertible into all the different ingredients entering 

 into the composition of the vegetable substance by 

 means of the action of the vital energy of the plant ; 

 yet when water was ultimately proved to be a chemi- 

 cal compound, it was by no means absurd to suppose 

 that plants may possess the power of decomposing 

 part, at least, of what they absorb by the root, and 

 thus acquire the hydrogene as well as a portion of 

 the oxygene which, by analysis, they are found to 

 contain. This opinion was accordingly pretty gene- 

 rally adopted, but was not yet proved by any direct 

 experiment. Senebier pointed out several pheno- 

 mena from which he thought it was to be inferred, 

 but particularly that of the germination of some 

 seeds moistened merely with water, and so situated 

 as to have no apparent contact with oxygene. But 

 to this it was objected by Saussure that the seeds in 

 question might have germinated in consequence of 

 the action of the air contained in the water, inde- 

 pendent of that of its component principles. 

 And In- The decomposition of water was inferred also by 

 $en atz. i n g ennou t Zj from the amelioration of an atmosphere 

 of common air into which he had introduced some 

 succulent plants vegetating in pure water ; but the 



