14 



REPRESENTATIVE PLANTS 



Grind up some peas in water, add more water, and place 

 the mixture in a test tube. Add a few drops of Millon's 

 solution and observe that a whitish coagulum forms. Now 

 boil and watch the color of the coagulum as the mixture 

 cools. To verify this experiment use some known albumen 

 compound, observing the final salmon jjink resulting. (A 

 proteid test.) 



There are other good tests, — as nitric acid and ammonia. 



4. Oil test. 



Grind up flax seed or mustard or yellow corn, place in 

 bottle and add ether and cork tightly. Set aside for some 

 days and then examine for yellow color of solution 

 and for a thin layer of oil, shown on the evaporation of the 

 ether. 



Test now the various roots furnished, preferably by the 

 pupil, for starch, sugar, albumen, and possibly oil. Let the 

 pupils obtain the results and tabulate. Seeds may be tested 

 in the same way. 



5. Water content. 



Various i^ots, particularly vegetables, ought to be ob- 

 tained and small portions carefully weighed fresh, and after 

 most thorough drying weighed again to obtain the per cent 

 content of water. (See the following table for report on 

 results.) From these results determine which vegetable 

 has the most solid nourishment (composition) 



Table of composition and water content 



Seed or 



EOOT 



Starch, 



Sugar, Oil, 



Proteid 



Weight, 

 P'resii 



Weight, 

 Dry 



Per Cent of 

 Water 



Value as 

 Food 



