ALPACAS IN AUSTRALIA. 
153 
surface of the earth furnished 2092 per cent, of oxygen; it 
would seem, therefore, that in the higher regions of the 
atmosphere there is a slight diminution in the amount of 
oxygen, and a slight increase in the proportion of carbonic 
acid. 
PROTEINE IN THE POTATO. 
Crystals of proteine have been found by Cohn in the 
cortical cellules lying under the corky envelope of the potato. 
These cellules contained more than one cubical crystal each, 
which was generally attached to the primordial utricle. The 
presence of this principle, although small in quantity, neces¬ 
sarily increases the nutritive property of this tuber. 
ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION. 
M. Pasteur, who has made this his special study for 
some years, announces that the generally received opinion 
that cane sugar (C l2 HnOu), after being modified into grape 
sugar (C 12 H 12 O l2 ), when mixed with yeast, ferments, and 
splits up into alcohol and carbonic acid, the sum of the 
weights of which represent very nearly the weight of the 
sugar, is only a rough approximation to the truth; and that 
amongst the products of the fermentation are glycerine, 
succinic acid, cellulose, and some other undetermined matters. 
100 grammes of sugar-candy, fermented with IT98 gramme 
of dry yeast, gave after fermentation— 
Glycerine ..... 3’640 
Succinic acid .... 0*673 
Cellulose, &c. .... 1633 
5*946 
The elements of these bodies being furnished solely by the 
sugar. M. Pasteur is still engaged in the study of the trans¬ 
formations which sugar undergoes inconsistent with the 
theoretical equation, (J 12 H 12 0 ]2 = 4C0 2 + 2(C 4 H 6 0 2 ). 
ALPACAS IN AUSTRALIA. 
A correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald has 
computed the probable increase during fifty years (taking all 
reasonable contingencies into account) of their stock of 
alpacas, now 50 males and 200 females, at 9,760,000; 
which yielding 7 lbs. wool each, will give the astonishing 
amount of 68,320,000 lbs., at 2s. per lb., equal to ,€6,830,000. 
