2^2 ON THE COJiroSlTrON OF ALCOHOL. 



*' of a microscope in pease, beans, and French beans.'* 

 Here GeofiVoy foils into the same mistake with Grew^ 

 when he adds; " The root of the little germe is quite close 

 " to this aperture, and throaf^li this same aperture it issues 

 " out, vvhei) the stcd comes to f4errninate." 



Progress made ^Vhen we reilt.'ct on what Geoffroy says, it is easy to per- 

 iii vegeuble . j ^ j r 



physioJogy ceive t!)e progress, that has been made toward the know- 

 smcehis time. ledge of plants within a <entury. We can no longer sup- 

 pose witii this naturalist, that the particles of the pollen are 

 germes, as he says; and still l<'ss can we think, that these 

 particles can ever heintrodnred into the ovula by the micio- 

 pyle. The presin-.t s1;',te of our knowledge instructs us, 

 * that ti5e particles of dust contained in the anthers are so 



many little bladders fdled with a fluid, the only substance 

 to w-hich we allow a fertirizin<,': quality, and the only one ca- 

 pable of being conveyed into the em'>ryoes. 



We also know, that the canal found in the centre of the 

 styles of all the Ujonostyle o\'aries, and destitute of a central 

 adherent receptacle, cannot in any way promote the process 

 of fecundation, and is nothhig but the cavity of the ovary> 

 which is prolonged through the style as far as the stigma. 



XiV. 



Essay on tlte Composhion of Alcohol and of Sulphuric Eiher^ 

 By Theodore de Saussu re. Head to the Physical and 

 Mathematical Class of the Institute April the 6th. 180?*. 



Sr.cr. T, Ldroduction. 



Proportions of J[_ PJE proper methods of avriviiit; at a knowledge of the 



the elements ,. ,, -, , . , , '' ,. , , 



cf veeetables proportions ot the ultimate clciueuls ot vegetables are yet 



little known, so uncertain, and so badly determined, that every inquiry 

 into the subject must furnish useful observations, whatever 



Fetmentation. he tlie material to which it is applied. The theory of fer- 

 mentation can be known only by an analysis of its products, 

 and among these alcohol will always hold an important 

 place. 



* Journal d^ Phissique vol. LXIV, p. 316. 



The 



