Complexing of calcium and magnesium by the organic constituents of yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus): I.—The organic acids, lignin and cell wall polysaccharides of Yorkshire Fog

A scheme for the isolation, and the determination of the chemical composition of the cell wall polysaccharides, lignin and non‐volatile organic acids from the grass, Yorkshire Fog, is outlined. The tribasic acid, trans‐aconitic acid accounted for 50–70% of the organic acid in seasonal samples of the grass. The lignin and hemicelluloses appear to be similar to those found in other Graminaceae. The three aromatic aldehydes, vanillin, p‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and syringaldehyde, are identified after alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of the lignin. Chemical analyses of the hemicellulose fractions are consistent with the presence of a neutral glucan, an arabinoxylan and an acidic galactoarabinoxylan.