21 



ever, to the larpe qnaiitities of tlie very strong and bitter decoction 

 than to any peculiar active principle contained in the yan])on, for strong 

 black tea will sometimes ])roduce the same effect under similar circum- 

 stances. Yaupon is found along the coast of the Southern States, from 

 Florida to North Carolina ; it is not known to grow in the interior. 



The specimen received ibr analysis weighed about half a pound, and 

 was apparently composed of the dry and broken leaves, and small twigs 

 of the plant. The preliminary analysis gave : 



Moisture, (determined at 140^^ C. in .an atmospliere of carbonic acid) 7,595 



Organic matter 8^, 470 



Ash 3,935 



Total 100,000 



Treated with the usual solvents, it yielded the following results : 



Soluble in ether 6.96 



Soluble in alcohol and insoluble in ^yater 4. 84 



Soluble in cold water and insolnble iu alcohol 8.24 



Soluble iu both alcohol and water 10. 15 



Soluble in hot water containing 5 per cent, hj'drochloric acid 15. 28 



Insoluble 46. 93 



Moisture 7. 60 



100. 00 



The more important proximate principles having been separated and 

 weighed, the following xjerceutage of each was obtained : 



Volatile oil 0.011 



Wax and Fat 0. 466 



Resiu 3. 404 



Chlorophyll 2.491 



Caffeine, (Tli^'ine) 0. 122 



Tannic acid 2. 409 



Coloring matter, etc., soluble in alcohol, insoluble in water 4. 844 



E.xtractive matter, insoluble in alcohol, (Gum, Pectin, etc.) 8.244 



Extractive matter, soluble in both alcohol and water. , 10. 149 



Starch, Pectose, Tannin, etc., soluble in hot dilute hydiv,chloric acid 15.277 



Nitrogenous matter, insoluble in water, (probably Legumin, combined with 



Tannic acid) 8. 138 



Woody matter 34. 854 



Moisture 7. 595 



Ash 3.935 



Total 101.939 



Nitrogen 1 . 302 



The volatile oil has a very agreeable odor, faintly resembling that of 

 raw tobacco, but having also a tea like smell. The small quantity of 

 yaupon available for analysis, i)revented any extended examination of 

 the physical characteristics of this oil. It was apparently quite soluble 

 iu water, and a quantity scarcely weighable gave an agreeable odor to 

 a large volume of that liquid. 



The large percentage of resin is worthy of attention, as it is probably 

 derived from the oxidation of the volatile oil, and it suggests that the 

 aroma and medicinal properties of the tea might be improved by a nu)re 

 careful preparation of the leaves. The large amount of woody matter, 

 derived from the small twigs, etc., confirms us in this opinion. 



The amount of caffeine (the alkaloid of coffee and tea) is not large, 

 ordinary Chinese tea containing from 2.5 to percent. Paraguay tea 

 {Ilex Faraguaijensis) contains, according to Stenhouse, 0.13 per cent, of 

 caifeiue, which is almost precisely the same amount as was found in 



