PRODUCED BY GERMINATION.

Ill

contains into gum and sugar. This is effected bysteeping the grain in cold water, and then heaping itup together on the floor of the malt-house; it%; thusplaced in the most favourable conditions for germina-tion, and consequently the chemical changes attendanton that process immediately commence. The seeds losecarbon, and at the same time convert the oxygen of theair into carbonic acid; the embryo or young plantbegins to increase in size, and the grain becomes warmfrom the heat evolved by the chemical action.

341. If this were suffered to continue, the sugar andgum formed would be consumed by the growing youngplant, and the malt would then become useless. When,therefore, the process has proceeded to a certain extent,it is stopped by the gradual application of heat, which,by driving off the water and drying the grain, destroysthe conditions requisite for the further growth of theyoung plant, and preserves the grain in the state mostproper for the uses of the brewer and distiller.

342. The existence of most plants may be divided intofour periods: firstly, germination, or the developmentof the young plant from the embryo; secondly, thegrowth of the plant to maturity; thirdly, blossoming,and the formation of seed or reproductive parts; and,fourthly, decay, or a cessation of vitality, and conse-quent decomposition of the organic structure.

343. In each of these four periods different chemicalchanges are going on, and therefore different condi-tions are requisite for the perfection of those various