120 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
a view to determine, if possible, the value of cafiaigre root either as a 
tanning material or as a medicinal substance. 
The following are the percentages extracted by solvents from the air- 
dry root, which contained 11.17 per cent. of moisture: 
Coldwater 22 ec asctasscleess cave ec ccee eee meee te inc cceicee od eeee eae 41.48 
ALCOHOL OS PCMeCnt san eses hansen: sone enema eee SSU RC EnSSoe cece soace 44.01 
Alcohol, 8d per Ceitine swe ee ssc ees sees eee eevee eae esse seleee eee 48.19 
Petroleum ether. cst nem eeima = abies leans) eee tee oats horse a5 . 90 
CHIOTOLOTM Soars soo ctewen eiae om se soe om ie eee tiie ee Een tye nei als ee . 92 
Carbon disnipinide sc... cose: eccs.cceessoseiens eeene mene e ene cene ol.) ss 96 
Ether extracts varying amounts according to the time it is allowed to 
act. It will be observed that petroleum ether, chloroform, and carbon 
disulphide extract nearly the same amounts. The extract thus ob- 
tained was a yellow, soft-solid substance, freely soluble in alcohol, ether, 
benzole, carbon disulphide, and chloroform; insoluble in water. Its 
solutions have a faintly acid reaction. It is soluble, in greater part, in 
alkaline hydrates, with a beautiful pink to carmine color. Its faintly 
alkaline ammoniacal solution precipitates acetate of lead pink, and re- 
duces potassium permanganate in the cold, and apparently reduces sil- 
ver nitrate. This substance has been called yellow resin in this analysis, 
although it may contain traces of oil, chrysophanic acid, and emodin 
(Quar. Jour. Ch. Soc., x, 300). Alcohol extracts the above yellow resin 
and a red-brown substance in some particulars resembling the erythro- 
retin of Schlossberger and Dépping (Ann. Ch. Pharm. J, 219). 
This substance, when dried, is a brittle, red-brown solid, not fusible 
on the water-bath, soluble in alcohol and diluted alcohol, insoluble in 
water, and nearly insoluble in ether, chloroform, benzole, petroleum 
ether, carbon disulphide. With alkaline hydrates it dissolves to a beau- 
tiful purplish-red solution; excess of acid re-precipitates the substance. 
Alcohol also extracts the rheo-tannic acid already mentioned, together 
with some sugar and a red substance soluble in water. 
Water extracts this red coloring matter, a brownish coloring matter 
insoluble in alcohol, ether, etc., together with gum, pectin, and sugar. 
Dilute potassium hydrate, used after the substance had been thor- 
oughly extracted by alcohol and water, was colored dark purplish red. 
When acidified the solution precipitated flocks of a deep red-brown sub- 
stance, much resembling the red substance extracted by alcohol, but 
differing from it in being insoluble in alcohol. 
In all these particulars this substance exactly corresponds with apo- 
retin, and, accordingly, it has been so designated in this analysis. 
‘The root contained considerable starch; the starch grains were me- 
dium-sized, round and ovate. The starch was converted into glucose 
by dilute sulphuric acid, and estimated from the glucose formed. 
_ Albuminoids were calculated from the total nitrogen, by combustion 
with soda-lime. 
Cellulose was determined in the residue after the extraction of all the 
above-named substances. 
Moisture was determined from loss of weight at 110° to 120° C.; ash, 
by simple combustion. 
The figures given are for ash-free substances, and direct estimations 
were made in every case, except for sugar and “red substance soluble 
in water.” Oxalic and malic acids were not estimated. 
