480 Inquiries relative to the Structure of Wood. 



These data supply us with an easy method of deter- 

 mining the quota of free and combustible hydrogen con- 

 tained in seerwood. 



According to Crawford's estimate, which we have fol- 

 lowed all along, i pound of hydrogen yields in its 

 combustion heat sufficient to raise 410 pounds of water 

 1 80 F. ; therefore, the 13.185 pounds heated 180 in 

 the experiment in question must have required 0.035158 

 pound of hydrogen, which is consequently the amount 

 of free and .combustible hydrogen contained in i pound 

 of seerwood. 



Assuming the medium term of the results of the two 

 analyses of dry wood, made by Messrs. Gay Lussac and 

 Thenard, i pound of seerwood would be composed of 



Carbon . . . . . . 0.52 pound. 



Hydrogen and oxygen, in the necessary pro- 

 portions for forming water . . 0.48 



i. oo 



From the result of my experiments, i pound of seer- 

 wood is composed of two distinct substances ; namely, 



A skeleton of charcoal weighing . . . 0.43 pound. 

 Vegetable flesh 0.57 



i.oo 



And these 0.57 pound of vegetable flesh are com- 

 posed of 



Carbon, free and combustible . . . 0.090 pound. 

 Hydrogen, free and combustible . . -35 

 Hydrogen and oxygen, in the necessary pro- 

 portions for the formation of water . . 0.445 



0.570 



