Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 77 



rature below 248° Fahr., left a slight residue of boracic acid in the 

 retort. 



Protoborate of Methylen. — MM. Ebelmen and Bouquet found that 

 the action of chloride of boron on pyroxylic spirit was perfectly simi- 

 lar to that upon alcohol. The gas is absorbed with the production 

 of heat, and the bottle containing the spirit must be carefully kept 

 cool. When the disengaged gases after passing the liquor are 

 very acid, the liquor separates into two portions ; the lower one 

 is brown and extremely acid, and the upper one is limpid and co- 

 lourless, and alone contains the new product. It is to be poured off 

 and distilled with a thermometer in the retort. The receiver is to 

 be changed when the boiling-point of the liquid has become constant. 

 The first products contain some hydrochloric acid ; two rectifica- 

 tions are sufficient to obtain a neutral product, the boiling-point of 

 which remains stationary at about 162° Fahr. 



If instead of employing pyroxylic spirit which has been rectified 

 from chloride of calcium, the article of commerce rectified merely 

 from quicklime be used, the liquid, traversed by the chloride of 

 boron, becomes of a brown colour, but without separating into 

 two portions towards the end of the operation. When this product, 

 containing a large quantity of chloride of boron, is cautiously di- 

 stilled, and the product received in a vessel surrounded with ice, se- 

 paration takes place. That portion only of the liquid which distils 

 below 176° Fahr. ought to be preserved; what remains in the re- 

 tort at this temperature is a black viscid liquid, equal to more than 

 half the liquid submitted to distillation. By rectifying the upper 

 portion of the liquid obtained in the cooled receiver, a pure product 

 is obtained. 



Borate of methylen is a colourless liquid, which is very moveable, 

 and has a penetrating odour, slightly resembling that of pyroxjlic 

 spirit ; it mixes with water, but soon deposits boracic acid. Its den- 

 sity at 32° is 0*9551, and its boiling-point about 162°; it burns 

 without residue and with a green flame. 

 It appeared to be composed of — 



Boracic acid 436-2 33-58 



Carbon 450-0 34-65 



Hydrogen 112-5 8-66 



Oxygen 3000 23-11 



1298-7 100- 



Its formula is BO 3 3C°-H 3 O. 



By experiment and calculation it appears to be composed of — 



1 volume of vapour of Boron. . . . 1*506 



6 ... Carbon 5027 



18 ... Hydrogen 1-245 



6 ... Oxygen 6*636 



14-414 



■** ■ * as 3-603. 

 4 



The mode in which the elements are condensed is therefore the 



