Chemical Science. 209 



16. Test of Potash by Nickdy before the blow-pipe. — For an ac- 

 count of this test, seepage 483 of the last volume. Berzelius com- 

 mends it: — he says it is only necessary to dissolve the oxide of nickel 

 in borax by heat, and to add to the vitreous matter before the blow- 

 pipe a little nitre, felspar, or other body containing" potash, to obtain 

 instantly a blue glass. The presence of soda does not prevent 

 this action. The nitrate or oxalate of nickel may be employed, but 

 the absence of cobalt must be ensured. — Ann. der Physik. 



17. New Variety of Borax. — Since M. Payen has published his 

 account of a new kind of borax (see page 483 of the last volume), 

 M. Buran has laid claim to the discovery, and a contest has arisen 

 which could only be, settled by a committee appointed on purpose. 

 It appears that M. Buran has known the method of manufacturing 

 this kind of borax and its nature for some years, but kept it a secret 

 because it gave him a commercial advantage ; such borax being in 

 request by jewellers and others as he, until lately,* had the exclusive 

 power of making : — and so it is settled that M. Buran has the priority 

 of the commercial discovery, but that M. Payen should be honoured 

 as the true discoverer, since he only has advanced the interests of 

 science by making that known to others which was not known to 

 them before. 



M. Buran has observed and now made known a curious fact, 

 namely, that ebullition for many hours is necessary to obtain a large 

 quantity of the octoedral borax, a fact fully confirmed by the experi- 

 ments of the commissioners. They also find that when the octoedral 

 borax is dissolved, it tends to give more octoedral borax without 

 boiling than ordinary borax under the same circumstances. — Ann. 

 de Chimie^ xxxvii. 419. 



18. Mutual Action of Nitre and Sal- Ammoniac. — Preparation 

 of Nitrogen. — From repeated experiments, M. Soubeiran finds that 

 these salts when mixed do not give nitrous oxide on the application 

 of heat, as might have been expected, supposing that muriate of 

 potash and nitrate of ammonia had been formed, and as has, in fact, 

 been stated ; but that the results are chloride of potassium, water, 

 chlorine, muriatic acid, a little nitrous acid and azote. The latter 

 gas may even be prepared in this way ; for tlie decomposition is 

 easily effected, and a small quantity of the mixed salts yields much 

 gas. The gas must be collected over water, and washed with a 

 little potash, to separate all the chlorine and nitrous acid. The best 

 proportions are one part of muriate of ammonia, and two parts of 

 nitrate of potash. — Jour, de Phar. 1827, p. 321. 



19. Preparation and Projyeriies of Aluminmny 8^'c. — It is now 

 sometime since M. (Ersted's discovery of an easy method of prepar- 

 ing a chloride of aluminum, and from that the metal aluminum was 

 announced.* M. Woehler has since pursued this subject, and 



* See vol. ii. New Series, p. 474. 

 JULY^SEPT. 1828. P 



