New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-29

renty chemistry made easy, by bringing it to
the very iireside. The oil In the borey portions
of the grain is contained ia little six sided cells
in the form of minute drops visible in thin
section under good microscope. When grain
OF corn is heated to a temperature sufficient to
decompose tho oil, sudden explosion takes
place, and every cell is ruptured by the eXpO-
sion Of gaseous matters arising from the deccm-
position of the oil. The grain is ruptured at the
weakest point in the arch, and is completely
eyOutcd aud folded back. Now, on examining
swollen much out of shape. If an attempt be
made to pop the Tuscarora Corn, which contains
no oil, ii will be found never to succeed; hence
this curious phenomenon, 80 familiar to every
child, though never understood by his parents,
has been proved by chemistry to be entirely
owing to the decomposition of oil, and the fOrma-
ton of carburettcd hydrogen gas. This remarba.
BILE change in corn is one Of considerable impor-
lance, SO far as regards facility of digestion; for
it is much more dgestble BY man after this
decomposition aud extricatOn of the oil, though
not 50 fatIening to animals that can digest oil.
The uses of oil in corn are manifold II IS
obviously to protect the grain from rapid decom-
position ia the soil, from long-cOntinued wet,
and to retain portion OF food until needed by
the young plant, as the oil is uniformly the last
portion of the grain taken up. 1t serves to keep
meal from sOurIng readily, as hntcorn meal
viii keep sweet for years, even when put up in
large quantities, while the Tuscarora meal will
sour in a short time. There is from to IL per
cent Of oil in corn, t5at Of Southern growth con-
tanning less than Northern. When hued by
means of potash lye, the oil next to the epider-
mis- of the grain is converted into soap and the
cpiderms is detached. The caustic slkal also
Iberatcs ammonia from the mucage around the
GERM When corn is used for the manufacture
of whisky the oil is saved during the fermenta-
ton MS it separates and rises 10 the surface IL
Is held that 100 bushels of grain will yield II
gallons Of OIL valuable for Illuminating purposes.
The oil mparts a decided taste to the meal,
not pleasant to persons unaocustomed TO it's use,
from which those varieties containing no oil are
entirely free. The cOl0rs OF Indian corn depend
on TINT of the epidermiS, hull, and of the oil
the latter, when yellow, showing its color through
transparent cpidermis In white varieties the
oil is transparent and coorless, and the epiderms
being also free from color, the meal is white.
The golden Sioux, a twelye-rowed variety is col
ored by the oil. Red aud blue owe their lively
bues to the cOlors of the epidermis, and not to
the oil. On inspecting very thin slices OF corn
under the microscope, the epidermis is found to
be made up of hexagonal cells, much larger than
those of the glutnous and oily parts of the grain
The starch gobules are distinctly seen in the
starchy part; drop of diluted tincture of iodine
brings out their forms aud character with boauti-
fu! distnctness. The phOsphates are probably in
the state Of fine powder, while the ammonia is,
in combination with the organic matters forming
a Kind of amide in tie mucilaee around the
germ.
The ingredients concentrated by nature in a
grain of corn are all essential to highly nutri-
cious grain. The gluten and mucilage contain
nitrogen. an element essential to the formation
of fbrOus tissue, muscle, nervous matter, and
brain. The oil is nearly -tormed fat easily con.
vertible into animal oils by slight change of
composition. Starch also is convertible into fat,
and into the carbOnaceOus substances OF the
body; and during its slow combustion in the cir
culation gives out portion Of the heat of
animal bodies while in its altered state it goes
to form a part of the living frame From the
phOsphates are derived the substance Of bone, as
well as the saline matters of brains, nerves. and
other solid and fluid parts Of the body. The
salts Of iron 90 to the blood and there constitute
an essential portion of it, enabling it, by sue.
-. Iafs.,
during the circulation through lungs, arteries
extreme vessels, and veins, to transport oxygen
to every part of the body. Corn, there
fore, contains all the elements required for the
perfect Development and support of tine bodies OF
I animals. Even while consuming this animal
food, we obtain The same ingredients, some of
them in a more concentrated form, because they
were all originally derived from vegetables, and
are but little changed in nature by animals.
Chemistry has proved that /" flesh is grass"
literally and truy-that vegetable and animal
fiber are identical, as are vegetable and animal
albumen. Plants are, therefore, organs of re-
duction. animals mere organs of combustion
Vegetables produce neutral nitrOgenized matters
fat matters, sugar. starch, and gum; decompose
carbonic acid gas, absorb heat and electricity,
and are al apparatus Of reduction. Animals con-
sumo what the vegetables produce, at the same
time producing carbonic acid gas, giving out
heat and electricity, being an apparatus of COM
bustiOn.
The enormous extent TO which the corn culture
has been pushed in this country is evidence Of the
value attached to it food for man and beast. 1t