232 
PAPER  FROM  INDIAN  CORN  LEAVES. 
This  comparison  leads  to  divers  interesting  results,  to  which  we 
shall  i^resently  advert,  with  further  details.  The 'only  facts  we 
desire  at  present  to  adduce  are  those  relating  to  the  sugary  prin- 
ciples. We  give  them,  moreover,  as  the  results  of  the  two  se- 
ries of  comparative  analyses  which  we  have  just  indicated,  not, 
however,  pretending  as  yet  to  generalize  them.  The  questions 
are  too  delicate  to  be  decided  upon  without  certain  reserva- 
tions. 
1.  The  orange,  either  before  or  at  the  period  of  its  maturity, 
contains,  at  the  same  time,  cane  and  inverted  sugar. 
2.  The  relative  proportions  of  these  two  sugars  change  during 
maturation  ;  the  quantity  of  inverted  sugar,  which  was  previous- 
ly greater  than  that  of  the  cane  sugar,  ceases  to  preponderate  ; 
the  relations  change,  and  the  cane  sugar  is  found  to  be  the  most 
abundant. 
3.  The  weight  of  inverted  sugar  varies  little. 
4.  The  weight  of  cane  sugar  augments  relatively  to  the  total 
weight  of  the  orange. 
5.  It  increases  equally,  whether  compared  with  the  total 
weight  of  the  juice  or  with  the  weight  of  the  fixed  matters  con- 
tained in  the  juice. 
From  these  facts,  it  is  easy  to  understand  why  the  orange  be- 
comes sweeter  during  maturation.  The  formation  of  cane  sugar 
in  the  ripening  fruit  is  here  the  most  striking  phenomenon.  It 
is  the  more  interesting,  since  it  is  effected  in  an  acid  medium  ; 
not  only  does  the  citric  acid  appear  not  to  act  in  inverting  the 
cane  sugar  already  formed, — an  inactivity  which  could  be  fore- 
seen as  a  result  of  the  experiments  made  by  one  of  us^ — but  it 
does  not  oppose  the  augmentation  of  the  cane  sugar  itself. 
We  are  now  continuing  our  experiments,  in  order  to  strength- 
en these  first  results  by  new  studies,  and  to  seek  out  at  the  ex- 
pense of  what  principles  cane  sugar  is  formed. — Chem,  Neivs^ 
London,  Feb.  22>,from  Comptes-Rendus,  vol.  li. 
PAPER  FROM  INDIAN  CORN  LEAVES. 
Recent  experiments  have  proved  Indian  corn  to  possess  not 
only  all  the  qualities  necessary  to  make  a  good  article,  but  to 
be  in  many  respects  superior  to  rags.    The  discovery  to  which 
