Miscellanies. 403 



discovered in it malic acid, phosphates of magnesia and lime, a solu- 

 ble animal matter, and a portion of insoluble animal matter, between 

 gluten and albumen. They concluded that probably the pollen of all 

 plants contained azote. 



The pollen of the cedar having been analysed by the author by 

 means of the oxide of copper, he obtained only 40. of carbon, 48.3 

 of oxygen, and 11.7 of hydrogen, without an atom of azote. By 

 treating it in the cold it gave water, a reddish oily liquid, thick, strong- 

 ly reddening turnsol and giving no aramoniacal odor with pure potash. 

 It appears then certain, that the pollen of the cedar differs from that 

 of the date, in containing no animal matter. This induced the au- 

 thor to examine it more minutely, and from the most careful trial it 

 appeared to contain — Acidulous malate of Potash, Sugar, Sulphate of 

 Potash, Silica, Gum, Yellow Resin, Phosphate of Lime, and a vege- 

 table substance constituting its greater portion, somewhat like starch, 

 though differing in its sensible characters. 



Lycopodium (perhaps the pollen of L. Lavatum) gave analogous 

 results, although by analysis ityjelds 10 per cent more carbon, which 

 explains the comparative splendor of its flame. 



Carbon, - - 50,2 



Oxygen, - - 39.2 



Hydrogen, - - 8.6 



Bib. Univ. Jan. 1830. 



48. On metallic decompositions by phosphuretted hydrogen gas, by 

 H. Rose. — The two phosphuretted hydrogen gases act differently on 

 metallic solutions from sulphuretted hydrogen. Water is formed ; 

 but instead of a metallic phosphuret, phosphoric acid is produced and 

 the metal is reduced. It is however only those metals whose affini- 

 ty for oxygen is very weak, that are thus reduced. The precipitate 

 formed by the two phosphuretted hydrogen gases, in a solution of 

 gold consists of the reduced metal. All the solutions of silver are 

 decomposed, and a brown precipitate, which becomes a greyish me- 

 tallic white, is formed, which consists of silver only, without a trace 

 of phosphorus. Phosphoric acid is formed. 



Sulphate of copper, decomposed by per-phosphuretted hydrogen, 

 gives a black powder, which is reduced ; copper and the liquid con- 

 tains a corresponding quantity of phosphoric acid. But although, ac- 

 cording to Rose, no phosphurets are formed during the decomposi- 

 tion of metallic solutions by phosphuretted hydrogen, it is remarked 



