AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AND GEOLOGY. 211 



azotized compounds, in a portion of the fibre exhausted by treatment with water. The 

 amount of wax and oil present, was obtained by treating a portion of the fibre, dried in a 

 peculiar apparatus at 212°, in which the substance is exposed to the vapor of ether, which, 

 when condensed in a separate cooling apparatus, is occasionally forced through it by atmo- 

 spheric pressure. The residue of the flax, after exhaustion with water, and the subtraction 

 of the amount of insoluble salts which it was found to contain, and of the wax and insoluble 

 nitrogenized bodies, as calculated from the amount of nitrogen in the washed fibre, was re- 

 garded as cellular fibre. The following is a statement of the results obtained in the exami- 

 nation of two samples of dressed flax, of average quality. The samples dried at 212° contained 

 respectively, No. I. 9-10, and No. II. 8-61 per cent, of water: — 



No. I. No. n. 



Wax, volatile oil and acid, resinous matter 2*200 2 - 620 



Sugar, and coloring matters soluble in alcohol 1*541 0*624 



Inorganic matters soluble in alcohol 0*281 0*116 



Gum and pectine 0*698 0*280 



Salts, insoluble in alcohol 0*076 0*044 



Nitrogenized compounds soluble in water, caseine, <fcc 3*560 1*386 



Nitrogenized compounds insoluble in water 2*9<)0 4*310 



Inorganic matters united with the fibre 0*238 1*490 



Cellular fibre 87*974 89*136 



The total amount of inorganic matters present in the samples was obtained by the careful 

 incineration of the dressed flax in platinum dishes. No. I. dried at 212°, left 1*40 per cent., 

 and No. II. 1*54 per cent. The ash of No. I. was white, while that of No. II. had a brick- 

 red color. Each had respectively the following composition: — 



Ash of sample No. I. Ash of sample No. II. 



Potash 7*94 1*85 



Soda 2*19 7*63 



Chloride of sodium 2*75 1*77 



Lime 29*24 27*08 



Magnesia 4*64 0*70 



Peroxide of iron 3*72 7*40 



Phosphoric acid 5*23 10*40 



Sulphuric acid 6*00 3*12 



Carbonic acid 28*17 1910 



Silica 10*45 21*31 



In addition to the above analyses of fibre prepared by the hot-water system, a sample of 

 Courtrai flax was examined. The amount of pure fibre was obtained by repeated digestion 

 of the dried flax in a dilute solution of potash, (one-half an ounce of caustic potash to three 

 pints of water;) and, after the careful removal of all traces of potash by washing in distilled 

 water, the exhausted fibre was incinerated, and the amount of ash left deducted. The 

 following were the results: — 



Courtrai flax steeped and dressed. — 100 parts contained water 8*40, and, dried at 212°, gave 

 of wax and oil 2*30 per cent., and on combustion with soda-lime afforded 1*04 per cent, of 

 nitrogen. Treated, as described, with dilute solution of caustic potash, there remained after 

 the subtraction of the ash obtained by the incineration of the residue, 82*56 per cent, of pure 

 fibre. A sample of the flax dried at 212° left, when burned, 1*05 per cent of ash; if, there- 

 fore, we may assume the amount of nitrogen present as representing the proportion of the 

 so-called proteine compounds contained in the flax, the following statement of the compo- 

 sition of the sample may be given: — 



Flax dried at 212°. 



Wax and oil 2*30 



Nitrogenized compounds, caseine, &c 6*50 



Gum, sugar and coloring matters 7*59 



Inorganic matters 1*05 



Pure fibre 82*56 



The foregoing analyses therefore show, contrary to what has been frequently asserted, 

 that the fibre of flax in the condition in which it is purchased by the spinner, after it has 

 been steeped and dressed, contains a considerable amount, not merely of the earthy and 

 saline ingredients which the plant has taken from the soil, but of the various compounds, 

 such as wax and caseine, which belong to the unsteeped straw, and upon the presence of 

 which in the fibre it is probable much of its spinning qualities depend. An examination 



