190 Mr. E. Solly on a Chemical Lamp- Fur Jiace. 



same period of growth. It was a thick-set red wheat, sown 

 in December on a light and good turnip soil, to which an un- 

 usually large quantity of guano (4 cwt. per acre) had been 

 applied as a manure. About one-tenth of the whole quantity 

 was diseased, while several other kinds of wheat, sown in the 

 same field, but to which no guano had been applied, were 

 perfectly sound. 



The ears had a much greener appearance than the same 

 kind of wheat in a healthy condition, and emitted a very dis- 

 agreeable smell, which is not easily described. 



On close examination the grains were found filled with a 

 black unctuous powder in place of the milky pulp of the 

 healthy seed. This powder was separated in quantity by 

 bruising the ears in a mortar and sifting through fine muslin, 

 and submitted to chemical examination. It had the same dis- 

 agreeable smell as the ears, but stronger ; it was oily to the 

 touch, and heavier than alcohol and water. When heated in the 

 air it burned with a bright flame, leaving a residue of charcoal, 

 and eventually a trace of white ash. When heated in a tube, 

 it gave off water, empyreumatic and oily matters, and a litde 

 ammonia. It was insoluble in a solution of potash and in 

 hydrochloric acidj nitric acid made it yellow, and hot sul- 

 phuric acid dissolved it with purplish-red colour. Boiled with 

 water, it yielded merelya little gum and bitter brown extractive 

 matter, the greater part remaining undissolved. Alcohol ex- 

 tracted a fat oil, and a waxy or resinous matter; the undis- 

 solved portion appeared to consist of lignin mixed with char- 

 coal. The black powder greedily absorbed oxygen from the 

 air when in a moistened condition, giving rise to carbonic acid. 



A carefully conducted proximate analysis of the substance 

 led to the following results : — 



Wax or resin with fixed oil . . . 7'0 

 Gum and extractive matter, &c. . 7' 8 



Lignin and charcoal 82''7 



Ashes 2*5 



100- 



The ash consisted chiefly of earthy phosphates and silicate 

 of potash. 



XXII. Description of a Chemical Lamp-Furnace. 

 By Edward Solly, Esg.'^ 

 A T the meeting of the British Association last September 

 "^^ in York, the Rev. W. Vernon Harcourt exhibited a hy- 

 drogen lamp-furnace, the object of which was to afford a 



• Communicated by the Chemical Society ; having been read November 

 18, 1844. 



