Adipocelluloses and Cutocelluloses 227 



These investigators succeeded in isolating cellulose from 

 cork, but by complicated and drastic methods of treatment, 

 such as would break down the greater proportion of the cellu- 

 lose into soluble derivatives. These treatments were : (i) drastic 

 oxidation with nitric acid ; (2) alternate treatments with boiling 

 dilute hydrochloric acid and 10 p.ct. solution of potassium hy- 

 drate. The proportion thus isolated amounted to 2-3 p.ct. only. 



The authors, on the other hand, have observed that the non- 

 cellulose of cork is entirely converted into soluble derivatives 

 by the process of digestion at high temperatures with solutions 

 of the alkaline sulphites as described, p. 150. In this way a 

 residue is obtained preserving the form, i.e. cellular structure, of 

 the original cork, and amounting to 9-12 p.ct. 



The details of a particular experiment were as follows : 10*995 

 grms. cork, 20 grms. Na.SO 3 .7H 2 O, 2 grms. Na 2 CO a , dissolved in 

 500 c.c. water. Digested 3 hours at 75 Ibs., and 4 hours at 125 Ibs. 

 pressure. Residue bleached with sodium hypochlorite solution. 

 Yield of cellulose, 1-34 grms. ; 12-1 p.ct. 



In the proximate analysis of cork M. Siewert found 10 p.ct. 

 of constituents soluble in alcohol, which were further resolved 



into 



Wax, in crystalline form . . 175 



Fat acid, non-crystallisable . . 2*50 



Acid (2), non-crystallisable and of fatty character . 2-25 



Tannic acid, soluble in water . . . . . 2-50 



,, soluble with difficulty . . . . I-oo 



The crystallised wax is termed by Siewert phellyl alcohol, 

 C 17 H 28 O. It melts at 100, and dissolves in 500 parts boiling 

 alcohol. The acid bodies are described as (i) decacrylic acid, 

 C 10 H 18 O 2 (m.p. 86), soluble in 52 parts boiling alcohol; (2) 

 eulysin, C 2 4H 36 O 3 (m.p. 150), soluble in cold alcohol. 



According to Hohnel (Wien. Akad. Ber. 76) and Kugler 

 (Dissert, on Suberin, Halle, 1884), the cork-substance proper 

 is a mixture of cellulose with lignocellulose and two charac- 



03 



