482 M. H. Bleibtreu on Cumarine. 



during flowering, was dried in the air and digested for some 

 time with spirits of wine ; the alcohol was distilled from the 

 dark greenish-brown solution in a water-bath, and the dark 

 brown residue evaporated to the consistency of syrup. The 

 distilled alcohol had an aromatic odour, and from the last 

 more watery portion small crystalline plates were gradually 

 deposited. 



The syrup, boiled with water, and the brown solution se- 

 parated by filtration from the insoluble matters, consisting of 

 chlorophylle, &c, were agitated with aether. On distilling off 

 the aether there remained a yellow substance, possessing the 

 appearance and odour of honey, from which, after some time, 

 a considerable quantity of yellow crystalline needles sepa- 

 rated, which on heating with water to 50° C. collected at the 

 bottom of the vessel into a melted mass, and were dissolved 

 on raising the temperature to the boiling-point. From this 

 solution, which on cooling became milky, crystals of an inch 

 in length were gradually deposited, 'which were purified by 

 repeated crystallizations. After being thrice recrystallized 

 the crystals were of a pure white colour, but deposited some 

 brownish flakes after melting at a gentle heat. On repeating 

 the recrystallizations a few times more, the substance re- 

 mained quite unchanged in colour after fusing, and could 

 now be considered as quite pure and proper for analysis. 



Before proceeding to the analysis I endeavoured to convert 

 a small portion of the substance into salicylic acid. A few 

 crystals were dissolved in strong potassa ley, evaporated till 

 the yellow colour at first produced had disappeared, and then 

 heated somewhat stronger. The solid residue was saturated 

 with hydrochloric acid and agitated with aether. The aethereal 

 solution, evaporated to drive off the aether, gave with sesqui- 

 chloride of iron the beautiful violet colour so characteristic 

 of salicylic acid. 



Analysis of the Crystals from Asperula odorata. 



The analysis of the fused crystals, in one case with oxide 

 of copper, in the other with chromate of lead, gave the fol- 

 lowing results : — 



I. 0-3276 grm. gave 0-8821 carbonic acid and 0*1267 

 water, 



II. 0*2607 grm. substance gave # 7l05 carbonic acid and 

 0-1043 water. 



From which the following per-centage is calculated : — 



I. II. 



Carbon . . . 73*63 74*33 



Hydrogen . . 4 31 4*44 



