1826.] Analysis of Acorns, 45 



This solution was evaporated to dryness, gave a brown deli- 

 quescent mass, to which alcohol was added. The alcohohc 

 solution evaporated to dryness weighed 1*1 gr. and appeared by 

 dissolving in water, and adding nitrate of silver, to be composed 

 of '4 muriate of magnesia and *? potash. The portion insoluble 

 in alcohol was saturated with ddute nitric acid with efferves- 

 cence, and evaporated to dryness. It weighed 20 grains, and 

 burnt hke nitre; 200 grs. of water were added, which dissolved 

 the whole, except -5 gr. which was sulphate of lime. This solu- 

 tion gave no precipitate with nitrate of silver, or oxalic acid; 

 carbonate of potash showed a very slight cloud. It appeared to 

 be nitrate of potash = 19*5 grs. which contain 9*17 of potash. 



Consequently the soluble part (A. 1.) contains 



Grains. 



Carbonate of potash 8*8 



Potash , , 5*3 



Sulphate of lime 0*5 



Muriate of magnesia 0*4 



15-0 



(A. 2.) The insoluble part being digested in dilute muriatic 

 acid was dissolved, except '5 gr. silex, with a trace of aluraiue. 

 From the muriatic solution was precipitated the iron by means 

 of prussiate of potash, which gave a precipitate of prussiate of 

 iron of '2 gr. = •! gr. carbonate of iron ; after adding a drop or 

 two of muriatic acid to the filtered solution, carbonate of potash 

 was added in excess, which precipitated 6 grains of carbonate of 

 lime = 3*4 Hme, and on boiling gave a further precipitate of 

 •5 gr. of carbonate of magnesia. 



Hence the part insoluble in water consists of 



Grains. 



Silex : 0-5 



Iron 0-1 



Lime 3*4 



Magnesia 0*5 



Loss , 0*5 



Alumine Trace 



The 360 grains of acorn shells being exposed to a red heat 

 for two hours, were reduced to ashes, which weighed 4*5 grs. 



(B.) The ashes were digested in three drams of water and 

 filtered, the insoluble part weighed 2*75 grs. (B. 2.) 



(B. 1.) To the solution was added nitrate of silver as long as 

 any precipitate fell. The precipitate filtered and dried weighed 

 2*25 grs. Dilute nitric acid dissolved 1*25 gr. of it, leaving 

 1 gr. muriate of silver, the other part being the carbonate. The 



