76 GEINE. 



ducts may be limited, controlled, hastened. Decay is fer- 

 mentation, and this, marked by its several stages, ends in 

 putrefaction. Putrefaction is the silent and onward march 

 of decay. Its goal is geine. 



108. If dry vegetable matters are soaked in water that is 

 soon discolored, a product of decomposition is obtained ; its 

 peculiar character is solubility in water. This solution, 

 being exposed to air, soon becomes filled with little flocks, 

 which gradually subside. This sediment is still a very little 

 soluble in water, but so very sparingly that it may be said 

 to be insoluble. If the sediment is exposed a little time to 

 air it regains the property of solubility in water, is easily 

 dissolved in part, by potash lye, or any alkaline lye, whether 

 caustic or mild. 



109. The original brown solution may be considered as 

 extract of mould. The sediment as a compound of the 

 several acids of geine and carbonaceous mould. These are 

 either soluble or insoluble in water or alkali ; and hence, 

 geine is divided into soluble and insoluble. The soluble is 

 dissolved by water, by alcohol, by alkalies. The insoluble 

 cannot be dissolved by any of these agents, nor by acids. 

 The properties of geine, in water and alkali, or its behavior, 

 as it is termed, is of the highest importance to the farmer, 

 and are to be considered in detail. 



110. The first and earliest product of decay, is that which 

 is so easily soluble in water (108). If it could be at once 

 seized upon, it would be, doubtless, a perfectly colorless 

 solution, but it changes to a brownish color by exposure to 

 air. This character is very common in solutions of organic 

 matter. It is due in this case to the formation of the 

 insoluble state. 



111. If a little alum is dissolved in the watery solution of 

 geine, and then a few drops of spirits of hartshorn, or sal 



