ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 



345 



CHAPTER II. 



VEGETABLE CHEMISTRY. 



What is mid 869. GERMINATION. Before the process- 

 of germination es of transformation of the materials of the 



and the chan- ... 



ges which at- earth and atmosphere into the innume- 

 rable products of the vegetable world can 

 commence, a rudimental plant must be developed from 

 the seed. The seed itself contains the 

 materials for its production. These are 

 principally starch, and gluten,* or the other 

 substances analogous to each, which have 

 already been described. The first stage in 

 the process is the absorption of moisture 

 and oxygen from the air, and the conse- 

 quent production of diastase^ This sub- 

 stance has the remarkable property of con- 

 verting starch into sugar, and rendering soluble all of 

 the remaining gluten of the seed. By the appropria- 

 tion of these materials, which have been stored up for 

 it in the seed, the germ is developed into a perfect 

 plant. It lets down its root into the soil in search of 



* Gluten is the stringy substance which remains on removing the 

 starch from dough by long continued kneading. It is further described 

 in a subsequent paragraph. 



f Diastase is an oxydized gluten, which is always produced from 

 gluten in germination. 



15* 



