Dr. A. von Planta and Mr. W. Wallace on Apiine. 217 



so, and has the same odour as the spirit itself j when impiirej it 

 is of a green coloui', and has a very offensive smell. 



Dm'ing the evaporation of a concentrated solution in hot 

 alcohol, the apiine separates as a cm-dy precipitate ; and when 

 the evaporation is complete, it is left as a white powder. 



5. In cold cether apiine is quite insoluble. 



6. In boiling tether the dried powder is also insoluble ; in a 

 moist state, however, as recently evaporated from alcohol, fether 

 dissolves a very minute quantity. The solution on cooling does 

 not gelatinize, but the apiine separates as a very light gelatinous 

 precipitate on cooling and standing for two or three days. The 

 quantity dissolved therefore is veiy minu^te, probably not more 

 than one part in several thousand of jether. 



7. In caustic alkalies. — Apiine is readily dissolved by caustic 

 alkalies in the cold if strong, or by the assistance of heat if weak. 

 Braconnot states that ammonia and even lime-water also dissolve 

 it. The apiine is precipitated on the addition of an acid, appa- 

 rently imaltered in its properties, and certainly unchanged in its 

 composition. In the analyses before-mentioned, the fourth was 

 made with apiine which had been dissolved in caustic potash and 

 then precipitated by hydrochloric acid. In its reactions, also, 

 this substance was found to coincide precisely with those of apiine, 

 and there is therefore no doubt whatever of their identity. This 

 is another striking characteristic which distinguishes apiine from 

 pectine, which, whenever it comes in contact with an alkali, is 

 transformed into pectic acid. In adding an acid to an alkaUne 

 solution of apiine, the latter generally appears as a cm'dy preci- 

 pitate ; but in certain circumstances a jelly is produced. Strong 

 and hot caustic potash decomposes apiine, but the products have 

 not been examined. 



8. In acids. — Concentrated oil of vitriol dissolves apiine in the 

 cold, forming an orange-red solution. When this solution is 

 slightly heated, it begins to blacken and decompose; and by 

 boiling, complete decomposition takes place. "Wlien the solution 

 is poured into cold water, a bright yellow, curdy or flocculent 

 precipitate falls. This appears to be apiine mialtered. The 

 yellow colour seems to be owing to the presence of an acid, for it 

 disappears when the precipitate is washed tasteless with cold 

 water. Alkalies also cause the same colom-. Thus apiine does 

 not become altered by solution in concentrated sulphui-ic acid, 

 like starch, lignine, &c. 



Concentrated hydrochlonc acid dissolves apiine when warmed, 

 forming an orange-coloured sohition, which, when poured into 

 cold water, gives a bright yellow precijntate, which is curdy or 

 flocculent. When washed with water, it becomes colourless, or 

 nearly so. The apiine docs not appear to be changed by this 

 treatment. 



