206 Cellulose 



what scattered, we find that the following compounds have 

 been identified amongst the liquid products : 



Aqueous distillate Tar 



Acids Alcohol Aldehydes, Hydrocarbons, 



Chiefly Acetic. Chiefly Methyl Ketones, &c. Phenols, &c. 



Also Formic ( Acetaldehyde Paraffins 



Propionic \ Furfuraldehyde Toluene 



Butyric / Acetone Xylene 



Valerianic, &c, ] Methyl-propyl ketone Creosol 



Crotonic acid I Methyl ethyl ,, Guaiacol 



f Methyl formate Methoxy-deri- 



( Methyl acetate vatives of py- 



rogallol 

 Methyl - pyro- 

 gallol 



Propyl pyro- 

 gallol 



A large number of these derivatives are obviously formed 

 by secondary reactions. What chiefly concerns our subject is 

 to distinguish, if possible, the primary products of the decom- 

 position. 



A careful survey of the evidence leaves no doubt that the 

 main products, as to relative quantity, are the primary pro- 

 ducts, viz. : 



Methyl alcohol Acetic acid Furfural and Pyrogallol derivatives 



In regard to the two former, interesting conclusions are 

 drawn by Ramsay and Chorley from their results (loc. #/.). 

 It will be noted that these products are constant for the indi- 

 vidual woods, over a wide range of temperatures of distillation, 

 and it is probable that they are formed as it were explosively, 

 i.e. in the exothermic reaction above described. 



In regard to the relationship of furfural and acetic acid to 

 each other, the following results of observations upon a par- 

 ticular distillation of alder wood may be cited. 



