338 SALTS 



boid ; but the salt lias a great tendency to con- 

 crete at the bottom of the vessel in the form of 

 saline crusts, without any regular form. This 

 salt is very soluble in water, and slightly reddens 

 vegetable blues, even after having been twice 

 crystallized. Its taste is at first sweetish, then 

 it leaves an impression similar to that of sulphate 

 of zinc, but much weaker. When exposed in a 

 platinum crucible to the heat of a spirit lamp, it 

 did not melt; but gave out water, having a 

 slight smell of acetic acid, and a weak acidulous 

 taste, and gradually assumed a yellowish green 

 colour. It then took fire, and burned like tin- 

 der, leaving an oxide, which was digested in ni- 

 tric acid to convert it into peroxide of nickel. 

 50 grains of the crystals, when treated in this 

 way, left 14*71 grains of peroxide of nickel, 

 equivalent to 13*1615 grains of protoxide. From 

 this experiment it follows, that acetate of nickel 

 is composed of 



Acetic 19-3551 or 6-25 



Protoxide of nickel 13-1615 - 4-25 

 Water 17-4834 - 5-645 



50-0000 



5-645 differs so little from 5*625, or 5 atoms of 

 water, that we can have no hesitation about con- 

 sidering the salt as composed of 



