430 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
A paper by the Rev. J. Reade, “ On the Chemical Composition of Vegetable 
Membrane and Fibre,” was read by the Secretary. The author stated that his 
attention was directed to this topic by Professor Henslow’s observations in his 
work on Botany, that the chemical composition of the membrane and fibre of 
plants was very difficult to be obtained. Having noticed the success with which 
his friend Mr. Rigg, of Walworth, analysed vegetable substances, he requested 
him to undertake this subject, and he had obtained the following results. 
Spiral vessels from a Hyacinth yielded-— 
Carbon.,. 41.8 
Hydrogen .. 1.1 
Nitrogen. 4,3 
Water. 51.8 
Residuary matter ... 1.0 
100.0 
Cellular tissue:— 
Carbon... 39.2 
Oxygen . 7.4 
Nitrogen. 3.9 
Water. 48.5 
Residue. 1,0 
100.0 
An analysis of different parts of the Bower-stalk of the Hyacinth gave the 
following results :— 
C. 
H. 
0 . 
N. 
W. 
Res. 
Epidermis and stomates. 
41.7 
— 
2.0 
4.0 
50.8 
1.5 
100 
Celluiar tissue beneath epidermis 
41.8 
— 
2.1 
4,1 
50.5 
1.5 
100 
Woody fibre under bark. 
39.2 
0.5 
— 
5.7 
55.6 
1.0 
100 
Spiral vessels .. 
35.8 
1.7 
— 
3.9 
58.1 
0.5 
100 
In these experiments the existence of nitrogen to so great an extent was 
pointed out as remarkable. The author also thought they tended to prove that 
vegetable fibre was not a form of memxbrane, as generally supposed. 
Professor Henslow observed that, in his work, he had alluded to the great 
difficulty of isolating entirely either fibre or membrane. The cells of the cellular 
tissue must contain some fluid matter in their interior, besides the fibre that lined 
them externally. Mr. Rigg had experimented on spiral vessels which contained 
both membrane and fibre; therefore, the ultimate composition of membrane and 
fibre were still a desideratum. 
Professor Bindley rem^arked that in a subject of this kind it was necessary 
that the facts should be properly understood. He was not at all satisfied with 
the conclusions of the paper. In the first place, he feared the author was not 
well acquainted with the structure of plants, for he had mentioned that the 
