82d SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



his memoir may in consequence be a verj^ advantageous guide 

 to the iron master, both from the well conducted experiments 

 it exhibits, and the reflections and ideas he has added to them, 

 the class should direct it to be printed in the volumes of its 

 foreign contributions. 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



R. Bucliolzhas analysed the seed of lycopodium, which 

 Analysis of has afforded him the following results. A thousand parts of 

 ycopo mm. ^^^ ^^^j contain ^0 of a fat oil, analogous to castor oil, and 

 very soluble in water, 30 of true sugar, and 15 of a mucila- 

 ginous extract. The remainder consists of a suh'^tance alto- 

 New substance g^t he p insoluble in water, alcohol, ether, oil of turpentine, 

 or caustic lixivium of potash. By long boiling with liquid 

 potash however this substance is decomposed, gives out am- 

 monia, and is converted into an extractive matter. 



By distillation it affords carburetted hidrogen gas, and car- 

 bonic acid gas; and afterward a watery liquor, impregnated 

 with acetate of ammonia, and an empyreumatic oil. I'heie 

 remains a coal very analogous to anthracite, and difficult of 

 incineration. 



Nitric acid moderately concentrated being boiled on this 

 substance converts it into a fat oil equally soluble in alcohol. 

 The author concludes, from his experiments, that this peculiar 

 matter must be considered as distinct from all other vegeta- 

 ble or animal substances. 



Mr. Thenard had supposed, see our last number, p. 1^5, 



that a certain quantity of water was formed in the mutual 

 Nowaterform ,. , i , , • i . i i • 



cd in making action of alcohol and acetic acid : but he now says he is con- 

 acetic ether, vinced, that none is actually formed, of which he shall fur- 

 nish proof in his memoir on ethers. 



To Correspondents, 



Mr. C. Sylvester's paper was too late to be inserted in the 



present nv^mber^ but will be given in the next. 



