Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-04-21

eral matter. All are readily distin,
guishable in the photomicrographs.
Examination of a number of Goals
has shown that most of the coal is de.
rived from the woody parts of plants,
such as trunks, stems, branches and
roots, including all the tissues that
make up such parts. Some of this
wood Is represented by the larger an
thraxylon, some by the smaller an
thraxylon and some by the attritus.
The proportion represented In each Of
these varies In different Goals and even
at different levels in the same coal
bed. There Is evidence that some OF
the cellulose matter is derived from
the more delicate tissues such as her
Daceous plants, young or growing parts
OF plants, leaf tissues, etc.
The humic or decayed vegetable mat
ter forms considerable proportion Of
the attrituS of all Goals. 1t is derived
from the cellulosic parts of plants, but
includes, besides macerated, semi-de-
cayed wood, some macerated gum,
bark, pith, cortex and other more deli
cate parts. There is no sharp dividing
line between the anthraxylon and the
humic constituents.
Resins are found in all Goals, but in
greatly varying proportions, both In
the anthraXylon and the attritus When
found in the anthraxylon, the resin is
found in those tissues where it would
be expected If the constituent were
still sound piece of wood. In the
attritus the resins are easily distin-
guished from the other constituents.
Comparing Different Goals.
The exines or outer walls of spores
are present in the attritus only and
form an important part of all Goals,
but in greatly varying proportions. The
spore exines are the most readily dis
cernible constituents in all Goals, and
have definite characteristics. Different
genera and perhaps different species
of exines differ in sculpturing, size,
form and thickness of wall, and by
means of these characters can readily
be distinguished from one another.
The spore characters have been so well
preserved in almost all Goals that the
spores of one kind of plants can be
clearly distinguished from those of an
other kind. In some coal seams the
larger bulk Of the spore exines are Of
the same kind, in other seams two or
three kinds may form the main bulk.
In comparing Goals from different beds
he predominating exines of one seam
ire easily seen to be different in some
way from those Of any other bed. Thus
he Goals of different beds, containing
different spores, may readily be dis
inguished from one another.
Occasionally in given coal seam q
pore exine is found that differs from
hose Of any other seam, but does not
'redominate. This spore exine may be
distinguishing characteristic of the
oal seam in question, although not the
redominate one. This fact promises
o be of value in the stratigraphic cor.
citation of coal seams. The Pittsburgh
cam, for example, contains a small
pore exine that is both predominant
nd characteristic and may thus be
asily distinguished from any other.
All ordinary bituminous Goals con.
lin certain constituents that are more
lghly carbonlzed than the rest of the
bal and stand out in sharp contrast
} 1t on account Of their opaqueness.
general there are two types OF. car
)naceous matter-one type shows def.
lite plant structure and consists Of
lie more highly carbonized parts OF
ant cells or bits of woody tissues or
her plant tissues the other shows
} plant structure and is of indefinite
'igin.
Other constituents that are invari-
lily present in all Goals are the So
lied rodlets or needles. Many are
altered helter-skelter through the at.
titus. Sometimes they are present In
ch large numbers that they form q
part of certain thin lami-
lie. Many Of the anthraxylon compo-
'nts, and, consplcuously, many Of the
neral charcoal constituents, inclose
smaller or larger number Of rodlets
at are evidently part of their struc-
re. Most of the tissues remaining In
e coal with which rodlets are associ-
ed are recognized to be those OF
ants related to the Medullosae, we'll
IOwn paleOzoic plants allied to the
cads. From this 1t appears that
me Of the rodiets, II not all. are the
contents Of the mucilago
nails Of MedullOsa-like plants. In the
lginal plants these canals were elon-
ted intercellular spaces containing
mining substances.