BY THE DECOMPOSITION OF WATER. 83 



most generally present in vegetables, enables us to 

 state in definite proportions the quantity of oxygen 

 separated during their formation. 



36 eq. carbonic acid and 22 eq. hydroffen derived ) „r j ^.-7 

 from 22 eq. water . ^. . 1=^ fVoody Fibre, 



with the separation of 72 eq. oxygen. 



36 eq. carbonic acid and 36 eq. hydrogen derived T ^ 



from 36 eq. water . . . . 5 — ^^S^^^, 



with the separation of 72 eq. oxygen. 



36 eq. carbonic acid and 30 eq. hydrogen derived ) „. , 



from 30 eq. water .... ^ — ^tarcfi, 



with the separation of 72 eq. oxygen. 



36 eq. carbonic acid and 16 eq. hydrogen derived ) rp • a a 



from 1 6 eq. water . . . . 5 " ^ ^^'^^^ -^"^^ 



with the separation of 64 eq. oxygen. 



36 eq. carbonic acid and 18 eq. hydrogen derived > rp . ' a -j 



from 18 eq. water .... ^— lanamc Jicia, 



with the separation of 45 eq. oxygen. 



36 eq. carbonic acid and 18 eq. hydrogen derived > jif^/;- Qdd 



from 18 eq. water .... 5 ' 



with the separation of 54 eq. oxygen. 

 36 eq. carbonic acid and 24 eq. hydrogen derived T ^.^ . ^^^^^.^ 

 trom 24 eq. water . . . . % j c > 



with the separation of 84 eq. oxygen. 



It will readily be perceived, that the formation 

 of the acids is accompanied with the smallest 

 separation of oxygen ; that the amount of oxygen 

 set free increases with the production of the so- 

 named neutral substances, and reaches its maximum 

 in the formation of the oils. Fruits remain acid in 

 cold summers ; while the most numerous trees under 

 the tropics are those which produce oils, caoutchouc, 

 and other substances containing very little oxygen. 

 The action of sunshine and influence of heat upon 

 the ripening of fruit is thus, in a certain measure, 

 represented by the numbers above cited. 



The green resinous principle of the leaf diminishes 

 in quantity, while oxygen is absorbed, when fruits' 

 are ripened in the dark; red and yellow coloring 

 matters are formed; tartaric, citric, and tannic acids 

 disappear, and are replaced by sugar, amylin, or 

 gum. 6 eq. Tartaric Acid, by absorbing 6 eq. oxy- 

 gen from the air, form Gra'pe Sugary with the separa- 

 tion of 12 eq. carbonic acid. 1 eq. Tannic Acid, 

 by absorbing 8 eq. oxygen from the air, and 4 eq. 



