149 
of that gas is not altered ; the carbonic acid formed being equal 
to the oxygen which has disap[)eared. Hence it follows, that 
the carbonic acid contains in it exactly the whole oxygen 
consumed. No oxygen, then, is absorbed by the seed; or at 
least, if it be absorbed, none of it is retained, the whole being 
thrown out in combination with carbon. The quantity of ox- 
ygen thus changed into carbonic acid by the germination of 
seeds, is in some measure proportional to the weight of the seed : 
but some seeds require more than others. In the experiments 
of Saussure, wheat and barley, weight for weight, consumed 
less oxygen than peas ; while peas consumed less than beans 
and kidney-beans. The oxygen consumed by wheat and bar- 
ley amounts to between -njJjjth and 2535 th of their weight; while 
that consumed by l)eans and kidney-beans may amount to icrath 
part of their weight. Similar experiments were made by Dr. 
AV'^oodhouse. 
From the observation of M. T. de Saussure, it appears that 
during the first stage of germination, the carbonic acid evolved 
exceeds the bulk of the oxygen absorbed, but afterwards the 
oxygen absorbed exceeds the bulk of the carbonic acid evolved. 
Azotic gas he found was always absorbed during germination 
in air, but not during gei inination in oxygen gas, or a mix- 
ture of equal volumes of oxygen and azotic gases. It does not 
appear that any water is decomposed during the process of ger- 
mination, at least we have no evidence that it is so. Neither 
hydrogen nor oxygen gas are emitted. It would not be sur- 
prising if a portion of water, so far from being decomposed, 
were actually formed by the union of its constituents previously 
existing in the grain. hen Saussure dried seeds at a certain 
temperature before germination, and afterwards brought them 
to the same degree of dryness alter germination, be always found 
that the loss of weight was greater that it ought to have been. 
Thus 73 peas, which together, (wlien dried at 77°) weighed 200 
grains, when left with five times their weight of water in a 
vessel full of air, and standing over mercury for two days, ger- 
minated, and produced 4^ cubic inches of carbonic acid. They 
were taken out and dried slowly at the same temperature ; 
during their drying they changed cubic inches more of oxy- 
gen into carbonic acid. Now these 9 inches of carbonic acid 
contain 1 .7 grains of carbon. The water in which the peas had 
175 AUCTABIOM. 
