PHYSIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON LECITHIN. 505 
No. 
Dates of collection. 
Water in the 
fresh leaves, 
per cent. 
In 100 parts of the dry matter. 
Ethereal and 
alcoholic extract. 
Lecithin. 
i. 
Old leaf 
20 November (1895) 
67.57 
26.18 
2-54 
2. 
Old leaf 
26 May (1896) 
61.88 
18.19 
0 
3 . 
Young leaf 
i April (1896) 
77.66 
9-44 
0.21 
4 - 
Young leaf 
26 May (1896) 
70.90 
18.67 
1.11 
This result shows that the old tea leaves lose the reserve- 
lecithin in spring, while the amount of it increases gradually in 
the young leaves. The decrease and the increase of lecithin here 
goes parallel with that of fat although not in a fixed proportion. 
The bark of Primus Cera sits was collected on the 23rd 
October 1895, when the leaves had mostly fallen from the tree, 
while the second collection was made on the 5th April 1896 when 
numerous flower-buds were formed, and the third time on the 9th 
April 1896, when the flower-buds had opened. 
In the three cases the bark was taken from the same tree 
whereby special attention was paid, that branches of equal thick¬ 
ness were Selected ; the results were as follows : 
No. 
Dates of collection. 
* In 100 parts of the dry matter. 
Ethereal and alcoho¬ 
lic extract. 
Lecithin. 
i. 
23 October (1895) . 
10-53 
1.88 
^ • 
5 April (1896) . 
10.97 
0.96 
3 - 
9 April (1896) . 
9 5 2 
0.71 
It is also here quite evident that lecithin is a reserve material 
which is consumed in spring. 
