132 Potter . — On the Occurrence of Cellulose in the 
coloured inner layer, which seemed to indicate that the ‘ coniferin ’ had 
been removed. Some explanation, however, was gained by a comparison 
with fresh sections treated in the same manner. These showed a very 
limited distribution of the ‘ coniferin,’ it being found chiefly in the vessels, 
tracheides, and elements surrounding them, and appearing to be absent 
in a great measure from the fibre-walls. This suggests an interesting 
point touching upon the distribution of the vanilin and coniferin in woody 
stems, which remains to be followed lip ; and it appears to furnish a clue to 
a problem which presents itself. Would not the water passing up the stem 
as the transpiring current have a tendency to dissolve the ‘ lignin ’ ? The 
walls of the vessels and other elements connected with the transmission of 
water are apparently impregnated with some substance not readily soluble 
in water. 
To return to the alburnum and duramen ‘extracts.’ Of the eight 
flasks six remained in the incubator. After eight days another pair of 
these flasks was similarly treated and the ether extracted, divided into 
three porcelain crucibles, and evaporated as before. To my surprise 
the residue, after evaporation of the ether, gave only a faint reaction 
to phloroglucin and thallin sulphate in the case of the duramen, and the 
reaction with these stains was even less for the alburnum. This result 
at first seemed inexplicable, but I noticed that the extract in the flasks, 
especially that of the alburnum had become somewhat turbid. This 
seemed to indicate the presence of Bacteria, although it should be remarked 
that some of the chloroform still remained at the bottom of the flasks 
so that the water in which the Oak chips were immersed would be saturated 
with chloroform. However, as I have shown in a previous paper (’00), 
no reliance can be placed upon chloroform, thymol, &c. as antiseptics, as 
these substances do not necessarily prevent the growth of micro-organisms 
even when used in considerable strength. 
To ascertain whether any micro-organisms were present stab-cultures 
from these flasks were made in sterile, plugged test-tubes containing beef-, 
Liebig-, and turnip-gelatine. These test-tubes were then incubated for 
five days, at the end of which time colonies of Bacteria were found in 
all the tubes. It may be mentioned here that stab-cultures subsequently 
taken from the remaining two pairs of flasks, after fourteen days and 
after thirty-two days, also developed colonies of Bacteria. The extracts 
from the flasks after these intervals gave much the same colour reactions as 
before, distinct though faint for the duramen and hardly perceptible in the 
case of the alburnum. 
No attempt has been made at present to isolate and identify these 
Bacteria, but it may be remarked that the Bacteria from the alburnum 
invariably liquefied the gelatine, while in the tubes sown from the duramen 
the gelatine remained unliquefied. 
