30 On the Nitrates of Iron. 
No. 242. C. torta, Boott. C. acuta, Schk. Tab. Ff, fig. 92 6. 
Spica staminifera unica, interdum binis, cylindracea ; pistillife- 
ris ternis vel pluribus longo-cylindraceis sublaxifloris, basin par- 
vis et sparsifloris, apice substaminiferis, superne sessilibus, inferne 
pedunculatis, divergentibus vel recurvatis; fructibus distio-mati- 
cis ovatis utrinque convexis, superne teretibus acuminatis et inter- 
dum recurvatis, squamam lanceolatam subobtusam interdum su- 
he i seepe pears an 
Culm near two feet high, erect, rather slender, eiqaetTone: 
scarcely rough on the acts leafy towards the base ; leaves 
ceolate, smooth or soft, shorter than the culm ; lower bract iii 
as the culm, the upper shorter or nearly wanting ; pistillate spikes 
usually three, sometimes four, long, slender, sometimes enlarging 
upwards, very sparse-frnited towards the base of lower spikes, 
recurved i in maturity, and the lower pedunculate, the upper ses- 
sile; stigmas two; fruit ovate, convex on both sides, short or 
long tapering upwards to a point and some recurved ; pistillate 
scale lanceolate. obtusish, narrower than the fruit, black with a 
green keel, sometimes longer, but more ‘commonly a little shorter 
than the fruit; culm and leaves light 
Grows in wet places over the United "States This plant dif- 
fers poor from the European and American form of C. acuta, L., 
as properly described as a distinct species by Dr. Boott, the 
Bistingt en secretary of the Linnean Society. It is probable 
that Schk. derived his figure, No. 92 6, from American specimens, 
and in his time he might reasonably consider the plant to be a 
variety of C. acuta, L. It is not C. acuta var. sparsiflora, D. 
Art. VII.—On the Nitrates of Tron and some other Nitrates ; 
by Joun M. Orpway,* of the me ae Laboratory, Mass. 
Sesquinirrate of iron may be easily obtained in the form of 
crystais by taking advantage of the fact, that this salt is almost 
insoluble in cold nitric acid. 
When metallic iron is svexadoulty added to nitric acid of sp. gr. 
1-29, copious red fumes are given off, and the liquid assumesa 
greenish hue, till nearly ten per cent. ‘of iron has been taken up. 
reach. Indeed, respecting the com 
Fes is mportance in Aeriog the vd gps 
us “azotate ferrique” is 
mie et re Physique, as “ “dun brun 
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