Dr. A. von Planta and Mr. W. Wallace on Apiine. 213 



accompanies this substance, and perhaps also small quantities 

 of other organic bodies. 



The following process for purifying the abo\'e crude product 

 was, after numerous and very tecUous experiments, considered 

 the best. 



Tlie cnide substance was finely powdered and dissolved in 

 alcohol of 75 per cent, by continued boiling, and the solu- 

 tion filtered hot, on which nearly all the inorganic matters re- 

 mained upon the filter. The solution was of a very intense 

 green colour, and gelatinized with great consistency when cooled. 

 The jelly was not, however, tremulous like animal gelatine, but 

 Avas capable of being cut with a blunt knife without yielding. 

 Braconnot describes it as resembling pectic acid. The solution 

 was put into a large flask connected with a distillatoiy apparatus, 

 and the spu-it distilled off until the boiling-point of the residual 

 solution was higher than that of water. As the sokition evapo- 

 rated, apiine precipitated as a whitish powder of a flocculent or 

 curdy appearance. A considerable quantity of boiling alcohol 

 was then added to the contents of the flask, and the whole was 

 well-shaken together and thro^\Ti upon a cloth filter. The solu- 

 tion which came through contained nearly all the impmities, 

 and also a very considerable quantity of apiine, the greater part 

 of which, however, remained upon the cloth, the powder not 

 being readily soluble in alcohol unless boiled with it for a length- 

 ened time. The corners of the cloth were now taken together, 

 and the contents well-squeezed between the hands to express as 

 much as possible of the very impure liquid. Fresh boiling 

 alcohol was added to the contents of the cloth, and the above 

 operation of filtration and squeezing repeated three or fom' times. 

 The powder was finally squeezed as diy as possible, and trans- 

 ferred to a flask, where it Avas boiled with successive portions of 

 sether, in which it is nearly insoluble, until the last quantity 

 remained perfectly colourless even after protracted boiling. The 

 powder was now collected upon filters and dried, first under the 

 exhausted receiver of an air-pump over oil of Aitriol, and finally 

 in the water-bath. 



II. General Properties. 



Apiine, as prepared by the above process, is a very light floc- 

 culent powder, nearly colourless, having only a faint primrose 

 or yellowish-green tint, Avhich probably arises from a very minute 

 trace of chlorophylc adhering to it. It is perfectly inodorous 

 and also tasteless. It feels quite impalpable between the fingers, 

 and the stnicture of its ])articles is quite amorphous, having no 

 trace of organization. The solutions of apiine in water and in 

 alcohol arc quite neutral to test-papers, and arc scarcely adhc- 



