Mr. Porrett on a New Vegeto-Alkali in Gun-Cotton. 411 



until perfect neutrality was obtained : the liquid in this state 

 became thickened, not only by the quantity of minute crystals 

 of nitrate of potash formed in it beyond what it could hold in 

 solution, but also by an abundant precipitate of a whitish-gray 

 coloui", consisting of the new alkali probably in a state of car- 

 bonate. The liquid was heated nearly to ebullition, during 

 which its colour became darker, and it was set aside in order 

 that the crystals of nitrate of potash formed on cooling might 

 be separated and the liquid disembarrassed of them as much 

 as possible ; after this it was evaporated to dryness by the heat 

 of a water-bath, and the brownish residue was acted upon 

 first by sulphuric ae'ther, which however would not dissolve 

 any portion of it; next by alcohol, specific gravity 0*813, 

 which took up a very small quantity of the new alkali ; then 

 spirit of wine was tried ; the solvent power was greater than 

 that of the alcohol, but it had the disadvantage of taking up 

 with the alkaline matter a very minute quantity of the nitrate 

 of potash which accompanied it, so that I could not get an 

 exclusive solvent for the former; the principal quantity by 

 far of the carbonated alkaline oxide of lignin still remained, 

 and I was obliged to use a small quantity of cold, distilled 

 w'ater for its solution, notwithstanding that the water took up 

 at the same time some of the nitrate of potash and bicar- 

 bonate of potash remaining in the mass. This aqueous solu- 

 tion contains the new alkali in abundance, but mixed as stated 

 with the other two salts, it acts very powerfully upon red- 

 dened litmus paper. 



When a portion of the hyponitrous acid is neutralized by 

 an aqueous solution of the new alkali, hyponitiite of oxide 

 of lignin, probably identical with gun-cotton or with xyloidine, 

 is reproduced and precipitated as an insoluble compound. 



Thus I have verified the accuracy of my suggestion, ex- 

 cepting that instead of nitrous acid neutralized by a new 

 alkali existing in gun-cotton, it is the hyponitrous acid so 

 neutralized that constitutes that substance. For this new 

 alkali 1 have proposed the name Lignia, and believe that it 

 opens a wide field for scientific research. 



I suspect that in the natural decay of woody fibre from 

 leaves and rot'ing plants this alkali is produced in combina- 

 tion with acetic acid, and that the acetate of lignia so formed 

 exists in the saj) of all vegetables ; further, that it is decom- 

 posed and deoxidated by light acting on the leaves and bark 

 of trees, reproducing lignin for the assimilation and growth 

 of the plant : its action also on the animal system deserves 

 inquiry. I lay no stress however on these speculations, ex- 

 cepting so far as they may stinmlatc others to enter into in- 



