NATURAL HISTORY. 
283 
in some alteration or modification of the cause. Accordingly 
we find the following effects proceeding from their respective causes: 
Cause. —Maceration in stagnant and unchanged water. 
Effect. —The effect here is two-fold. The constant maceration of 
a vegetable when severed from its root, which is the natural medium 
by which moisture is received by the plant, cannot conduce to its 
nourishment, but will sensibly aid its decay, because no circulation 
can possibly take place; fresh water would, indeed, produce a tem¬ 
porary revival, but its death and decomposition would ultimately 
ensue. But, here is, a water stagnant and unchanged; and, con¬ 
sequently, not only maceration aids decay, but it is accelerated by 
the momentarily increasing quantity of decomposed vegetable matter, 
which arises from the process of putrefactive fermentation which is 
going on. Hence arise the results of gluten, gelatine, and magma; 
all of which are to be found in the water, and are the solid parts of 
the vegetable matter decomposed. 
Cause. —The imperfect access of air, by the interposition of the 
surrounding water. 
Effect. —This produces results different from the usual circum¬ 
stances. The evaporation of moisture from the mass is prevented, 
and the water becomes changed in a considerable degree with those 
gases which would otherwise evolve. Hence the offensive smell of 
the mixture. The heat not being so powerful as when the vegetable 
matter is only impregnated with water, the gluten and gelatine still 
remain unchanged, and are dried in suspension in the water. The 
magma, which would be held and become vegetable mould, remains 
as a feculent matter; also held in suspension in the water. The 
ammonia, probably, which would have exhaled in the state of gas, 
is held in solution by the water, and gives it new' properties. 
Cause. —The loose context of the stalks or leaves of the vegetables, 
owing to their partial diffusion in a fluid medium. 
Effect. —This will effectually prevent the extrication of the heat 
which is produced by the close context of the vegetable matter when 
in a heap; and, the decomposition will consequently be slower and 
more imperfect. Having gone through the principal elements of 
the subject, viz. the component parts of vegetables; the nature of 
putrefractive fermentation; the usual circumstances, and the required 
circumstances under which this process proceeds; the causes and 
elfects of the required circumstances; we now come to demonstrate 
the actual state of the water, which we must now consider as an in¬ 
fusion, and how that state produces the animalcules. 
We have then an infusion consisting of water, holding in suspen- 
