118 Analytical Essay on Asparagus. 
mosphere. I calcined a part of it; it swelled considerably, 
and the smell that was disengaged rather announced a vege-. 
table substance than a product of an animal nature. The, 
incinerated charcoal left a little lime. Thus certam reagents 
denoted the presence of an animal matter; others appeared 
to show the opposite. To obtain a more conclusive result, 
I redissolved this extract. I treated it with tincture of galls, 
and after washing and drying the precipitate, I submitted it 
to distillation to see if it yielded ammonia. Some was dis- 
engaged, but very, small in quantity; so that, although we 
eannot deny that this principle, which is soluble in water, 
bas many characters exclusively belonging to animal mat- 
ters; it is, however, fair to say, that it has some properties 
which appear very different, and which could not agree with 
the admission of animal gelatine, 
It only remains to me to speak of a salt which is found 
in the decoction and in the juice of asparagus. To obtain 
it, we ought to evaporate both to the consistence of thick 
syrups. .At the end of some days a salt is deposited, which 
when washed and redissolved in water, presents the follow- 
ing properties: it crystallizes in little rhomboids more op 
jess regular, transparent and very white, almost insipid 3 
very little soluble inthe cold, but much more so in heat; 
and depositing itself upon cooling : it swells when burning, 
giving out a sharp but agreeable smell, and a little am- 
moniacal. Its charcoal, which was very considerable. in 
volume, is easily incinerated, and leaves very little resi- 
due: when pounded with caustic alkali it gives sensible 
marks of ammonia. Its solution is not precipitable either 
by the alkalis or by alkaline earths. The oxalate of ammo-~ 
nia produces a slight turbidness, the muriate of barytes and 
the nitrate of silver do not occasion any change, neither is 
it decomposed by acetate of lead. Thus all that [ have been 
able hitherto to discover of its nature is, that it has a double 
base, Jime and ammonia; but I must confess I am entirely 
ignorant what acid is its constituent. Its not decomposing 
the acetate of lead and the muriate of barytes, prevents us 
from confounding it with~tartarous acid, oxalic acid, &c. 
Vinegar 1s what appears to come nearest to it; but it isin 
: vain 
