INJURIOUS  EFFECTS  OF  CHEMICAL  WORKS. 
color  of  these  parts  proceeds  from  the  cell-walls,  which  are  partly 
decomposed  and  converted  into  ulmin.    The  organic  structure  of 
the  cherry  and  plum-tree  gum,  which  the  author  proposes  to  call 
crasinium,  is  very  distinct,  as  long  as  the  gum  is  still  in  the  fruit, 
or  just  about  issuing  from  it,  but  forms  a  homogeneous  mass  as 
soon  as  it  has  exuded.    On  examining  the  cellular  tissue  of  plums 
with  iodine  and  sulphuric,  acid,  it  will  be  found,  that  the  healthy 
part  consists  of  gelin-cells,  whilst  the  membranes  of  the  affected 
portion  have  been  converted  into  a  bassorin-substance,  which  has 
partially  become  brown  from  the  presence  of  ulmin.    The  walls  of 
the  latter  portion  are,  moreover,  very  thick  and  loose,  so  that  in 
those  which  are  near  dissolution,  a  peculiar  system  of  very  fine  reti- 
culated mucilage  fibres  can  be  seen  upon  close  examination.  These 
fibres  disengage  themselves  gradually,  but  still  running  parallel  to 
one  another,  and  causing,  by  swelling,  a  pressure  without ;  at  last 
they  are  decomposed  into  very  small  molecules,  which  retain  the 
original  position  of  the  fibres.    These  molecules  are  the  beginning 
of  a  new  cellular  formation  ;  they  become  larger  and  now  con- 
tain one  or  two  new  cells,  which  again  contain  filial  cells  [Toch- 
terzellen]  and  so  on,  until  the  cells  become  liquified  and  the  mass 
exudes.    The  substance  called  by  Guerin  Varry  cerasin,  consists 
sometimes  of  such  semi-liquified  cells.    The  opinion  of  Mulder 
{Physiol.  Chemie,  p.  234,)  that  all  kinds  of  gum  are  vegetable  se- 
cretions and  formed  of  dextrin,  is,  therefore,  refuted,  as  well  as 
the  opinions  of  Nageli  and  others,  that  a  protein  substance  or  ni- 
trogenous "  Protoplasma"  must  form  the  nucleus  for  cell  formation, 
and  that  fungi  are  characterized  by  the  want  of  starch. — Archiv 
d.  Pharmcie  2  Rheihe,  Bd.  lxvii.,  Hft  1,  1851,  p.  1.  and  Pharrn. 
Journal,  Jan.  1852. 
INJURIOUS  EFFECTS  OF  CHEMICAL  WORKS  ON  TIMBER  AND 
GROWING  CROPS. 
At  the  Liverpool  Assizes,  on  the  5th  inst.,  the  first  of  four 
separate  actions  came  on  for  trial  against  Messrs.  Muspratt  & 
Co.,  proprietors  of  the  chemical-works  at  Newton,  near  Liver- 
pool, for  alleged  injury  done  to  certain  trees  growing  on  the  lands 
of  the  various  plaintiffs,  by  the  noxious  gas  or  vapor  proceeding 
from  the  defendants'  works.    A  number  of  respectable  agricul- 
