224 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



thirty years, from 40,000 to 50,000 pounds of pork, exclusive of lard 

 and ofial fat, and it is the constant practice to cook the meal, for which 

 purpose six or seven potash kettles are used." 



ON THE EXISTENCE OF ORGANIC MATTER IN STALACTITES AND STALAG- 

 MITES, FORMING CRYSTALLIZED AND AMORPHOUS CRENATE OF LIME. 



THE following paper was read at the American Association, Albany, 

 by Mr. David A. Y\ r ells, of Cambridge : 



In the eighth chapter of Liebig's Agricultural Chemistry, edited by 

 Playfair, there is given the result of some examinations of stalactites 

 from caverns in Germany, and from the vaults of old castles upon the 

 Rhine, made Avith the view of ascertaining the fact of the presence or 

 absence of organic matter in these bodies, either combined or uncom- 

 bined. 



The result may be stated in the words of the author, Prof. Liebig. 

 The stalactites from the caverns " contain no trace of vegetable matter, 

 and no humic acid, and may be heated to redness without becoming 

 black." In the stalactites from the vaults and cellars of old castles, 

 he says, "we could not detect the smallest traces" of humic acid. 

 " There could scarcely be found a more clear and convincing proof of 

 the absence of the humic acid of chemists in common vegetable mould." 

 Under the term humic acid, Prof. Liebig undoubtedly means to in- 

 clude all those organic acids arising from the decomposition of vege- 

 table matter, and which have received the names of crenic, apocrenic, 

 geic and humic acids. 



Having been informed by Dr. A. A. Hayes, of Boston, that he had, 

 in numerous examinations, arrived at results directly opposed to thoso 

 of Prof. Liebig, I was induced, at his suggestion, to make an examina- 

 tion of a large number of stalactites and stalagmites obtained from 

 various localities, with reference, solely, to the presence or absence of 

 organic matter in these bodies. 



The specimens examined were all from caverns, or rock formations, 

 and were obtained from various parts of the United States ; from 

 Trieste in Austria, Malta, and the Sandwich Islands. In color, they 

 varied from an almost pure white^ to red, yellow and brown, of different 

 shades ; and in crystalline character, from a structure resembling arra- 

 gonite, to a variety entirely wanting in symmetrical arrangement, or a 

 mere incrustation. The specimens were dissolved in dilute hydrochlo- 

 ric acid, the flocculent matter separated, collected and washed, boiled 

 in caustic potassa, carbonate of ammonia or carbonate of soda, and 

 then tested in the usual way for crenic and apocrenic acids by acetate 

 of copper and carbonate of ammonia. In all the varieties, with one 

 exception, abundant flocculent organic matter was separated, which, 

 on testing, gave evidence of crenic acid in considerable quantities, with 

 doubtful traces of apocrenic acid. The exception alluded to was the 

 specimen examined from Trieste, which did not afford any absorbablo 

 flocculent matter on dissolving in acid. The greatest quantity of or- 

 ganic matter was found in stalactites of a deep yellow color, highly 

 crystalline and uniform in character, and in the portions exaniinea 



