PHYSIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON LECITHIN. 505 



No. 



Dates of collection. 



Water in the 

 fresh leaves, 

 per cent. 



In 100 parts of the dry matter. 



Ethereal and 

 alcoholic extract. 



Lecithin. 



1. 



20 November (1895) 



67.57 



26.18 



2-54 



2. 



26 May (1896) 



61.88 



18.19 



0 



3- 



Young leaf 

 1 April (1896) 



77.66 



944 



0.21 



4- 



Young leaf 

 26 May (1896) 



70.90 



18.67 



1. 11 



This result shows that the old tea leaves lose the reserve- 

 lecithin in spring, while the amount of it increases gradually in 

 the young leaves. The decrease and the increase of lecithin here 

 goes parallel with that of fat although not in a fixed proportion. 



The bark of Primus Cerasus was collected on the 23rd 

 October 1895, when the leaves had mostly fallen from the tree, 

 while the second collection was made on the 5th April 1896 when 

 numerous flower-buds were formed, and the third time on the 9th 

 April 1896, when the flower-buds had opened. 



In the three cases the bark was taken from the same tree 

 whereby special attention was paid, that branches of equal thick- 

 ness w ere Selected ; the results were as follows : 



No. 



Dates ol collection. 



In 100 parts of the dry matter. 



Ethereal and alcoho- 

 lic extract. 



Lecithin. 



1. 



23 October (1895) 



10.53 



1.88 



2. 



S April (1896) 



10.97 



0.96 



3- 



9 April (1896; 



9.52 



0.71 



It is also here quite evident that lecithin is a reserve material 

 which is consumed in spring. 



