1816.] Royal Institute of France. 238 
lowish-orange colour, which exudes from cracks in the bark of 
beech faggots exposed to moisture. It has the shape of ribbons, 
twisted like vermicelli. M. Bidault de Villiers has made some 
chemical experiments on this matter. One portion of it dissolves 
in water, another in alcohol, and the residue possesses some of the 
properties of gluten. Nitric acid converts it into oxalic acid, into 
a yellow bitter principle, which is very abundant, and into a fatty 
matter; but produces no saclactic acid. When heated it gives 
abundance of carbonate of ammonia, and a fetid oil; so that the 
Commissioners of the Class were led to consider it as approaching 
very closely to an animal substance. It would be interesting to 
inquire into the cause of its production. 
One of the periods in which chemistry has shown itself most 
brilliant and most useful, was certainly that in which France, sepa- 
rated for 20 years from countries whose productions had been con- 
sidered for so longa period as real necessaries, was obliged to- 
supply them by the products of its own soil. The known arts 
have been perfected and new ones created. We have seen in 
succession soda extracted from common salt; alum and copperas 
formed by uniting their ingredients ; colours considered as fugitive 
rendered permanent; indigo from woad supplying that from the 
indigofera; madder supplying the place of cochineal; and sugar 
from beet employed as a substitute for that from the sugar cane. 
This last article, the most important of all, is far from having 
lost its interest even at present. Many of the manufactories, in- 
deed, have fallen ; but those which were properly conducted still 
subsist and prosper; and according to M. Je Comte Chaptal, their 
product will always be able to rival the sugar of the colonies. This 
skilful chemist gives an unanswerable proof of his assertion by con- 
tinuing to manufacture with profit. It is true that in all the details 
of the culture, harvest, and preparation, and likewise in the em- 
ployment of the different waste matters, he has applied all the 
lights of science and experience, so as never to throw away what 
can be of any service, and to apply to other uses what he is obliged 
to reject. He has described his processes in a manner sufficiently 
clear to be understood by all the manufacturers, and we have reason 
to hope that his work will assist in preserving to France a precious 
manufacture, which a thousand events may again render necessary 
to the country. 
The third volume of the Elementary Chemistry of Thenard has 
been published. This skilful Professor describes in it with great 
minuteness, and according to the most recent discoveries, for many 
of which the science is indebted to himself, the immediate prin~ 
ciples of organized bodies, the different products of their decompo- 
sitions, and their uses in the arts. The fourth, which is in the 
press, will terminate the work. 
(To be continued. ) 
Vor. VII. N° I. Q 
