"^jir^-Jf"-}  Raisins.  3631 
but  erred  in  considering  it  to  be  a  fungoid  growth.  Mohl  confirmed^ 
KUtzing's  observations  that  it  possessed  structure,  but  proved  that  the 
gum  was  due  to  a  metamorphosis  of  the  cell  membrane,  and  the 
remains  of  cell  tissue  may  very  readily  be  seen  under  the  microscope.. 
From  the  investigations  of  Wigand,  Karsten  and  Wiesner,  most  of 
the  natural  resin  which  exudes  from  the  coniferae  is  due  to  a  similar 
change  in  the  starch  and  the  cell  membrane.  The  gums,  of  which 
gum  arabic  may  be  taken  as  typical,  owe  their  origin  to  a  similar 
change  from  an  obscure  cause  in  the  interior  of  the  tree.  In  one 
instance  the  medulla  and  medullary  rays  with  the  starch  are  involved' 
and  in  another  the  bast  ceils  of  the  bark. 
This  change  has  sometimes  been  called  a  degradation  of  cell  tissue, 
but  the  word,  restricted  to  its  application  in  geology,  is  not  a  suitable 
term.  If  this  had  been  a  degradation,  or  rubbing  down,  of  cell  tissue 
the  result  would  be  nothing  more  or  less  than  a  mass  of  cell  debris;  but 
this  is  a  disorganization  or  destruction  of  organic  structure,  resulting 
in  the  formation  of  a  substance  of  a  totally  different  character. 
Last  autumn  in  the  forest  of  Thuringia  resin  was  seen  exuding  from 
a  large  number  of  coniferae  and  also  gum  from  the  cherry  trees.  A 
specimen  which  was  brought  home  well  illustrates  a  natural  exudation 
of  the  cherry  gum,  and  there  seems  little  doubt  but  that  the  same 
natural  law  which  governs  the  changes  resulting  in  the  formation  of 
gums  and  resins  governs  also  those  which  result  in  the  formation  of 
araroba,  and  that  this  substance  was,  equally  with  those  named,  origi- 
nally in  a  fluid  condition. — Fharm.  Jour,  and  Trans. ^  April  lo,  1880. 
RAISINS. 
The  United  States  is  the  greatest  raisin  consuming  country  in  the 
world,  and  uses  annually  more  raisins  than  the  whole  of  Europe.  The 
market  is  mainly  supplied  from  Spain,  the  raisins  known  as  "Malagas'* 
being  considered  the  best.  They  come  from  a  comparatively  narrow 
strip  of  country  in  the  south  of  Spain,  which  has  hitherto  been  regarded 
as  surpassing  all  other  regions  for  raisins  of  that  character.  The 
annual  yield  of  Malaga  grapes  averages  2,450,000  boxes  of  twenty 
pounds  each.  It  sometimes  reaches  2,500,000  boxes,  and  last  season 
about  2,000,000  boxes  were  marketed.  Of  this  enormous  yield  the 
United  States  takes  fully  one-half,  on  which  it  pays  a  duty — as  on  all. 
other  raisins — of  two  and  a  half  cents  per  pound. — Ibid^ 
