SOLID HYDROCARBONS IN PLANTS 283 



treat it with boiling absolute alcohol, filter out the wax, 

 which separated on cooling, and allow the filtrate to evaporate 

 at the ordinary temperature. By fractional crystallization at 

 least three substances of different and definite crystalline forms 

 have been separated. We have, at present, examined only one 

 of these constituent compounds; whether the others are the 

 result of oxidation during the separating and purifying pro- 

 cesses or exist as such in the plants, we are now unable to 

 state. 



The subject of our communication is the compound the least 

 soluble in alcohol of the three obtained by fractionation. It 

 formed silky, acicular crystals, often two to four centimeters 

 in length, which, under polarized light, gave a play of colors. 

 It also exhibited decidedly electrical properties. To determine 

 the melting-point, about 0.5 of a gram of the crystals were 

 placed directly in the inner tube of an apparatus devised by 

 Roth, for the determination of melting-points. The substance 

 melted at 196.2 C. to 196.4 C., leaving a clear, amber-colored 

 mass. On heating to a higher temperature, the substance de- 

 composed and vapor was driven off in dense clouds. It had an 

 odor very like sandal wood; when condensed upon a cool sur- 

 face, the sublimate consisted of fluffy crystals of a lower melt- 

 ing-point. 



The silky, acicular crystals were soluble in petroleum-ether, 

 ethylic and acetic ethers, benzole, chloroform, hot alcohol, gla- 

 cial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and linseed oil. The addition 

 of water to the acetic anhydride reprecipitated the substance, 

 in white, flaky masses. The crystals were insoluble in hot, 

 cold, or acidulated water, or in the alkalies or other hydrate 

 solutions ; insoluble in amyl alcohol and alcoholic soda. Nitric 

 and sulphuric acids dissolved the crystals ; sulphuric acid gave 

 a reddish-brown coloration. 



The first ultimate analyses of this purified product from 

 Cascara amarga gave the following results: 



i. ii. m. 



C. 86.30 86.29 86.33 



H. 12.96 12.96 12.83 



