BY JAMBS M. PBTRIE. 535 



Portion soluble in water 15 % of the ash. This contains chiefly 

 potassium and a little sodium as chlorides (Cl.= 5-73 %) with a 

 trace of sulphate and silicate; also free alkali equivalent to 313 % 

 of potassium carbonate. 



Portion soluble in hydrochloric acid 62-4 % of the ash, consist- 

 ing of Al 2 3 7-25, CaO 25, MgO 5 9, P 2 5 2-8, S0 3 M2, C0 2 

 20-33 (by difference). 



Portion insoluble in acid 22-59 % of the ash, chiefly silica, 

 silicates, etc. 



(u) The organic constituents. — The air-dried leaves were treated 

 by the method of Dragendorff, by successive extractions with 

 various solvents. 



The very finely powdered leaves first gave up to petroleum 

 spirit 2-56 %. This contained 2 '4 of fixed oil or wax, a small 

 quantity of a fragrant volatile oil, and traces of resin. The wax 

 is an odourless dark brown solid, which leaves a yellow stain on 

 paper. At 15°C the sp. gr. is 0-935, ref. index 1-5229; and m.p. 

 43°C. The volatile oil has previously been mentioned as collect- 

 ing in the receiver during the distillation for organic acids. 



The leaves were next extracted with ether, the solvent on 

 evaporation giving l'4l%. This residue consisted of 0-48 of wax 

 similar to that obtained above, neutral and acid resins, and 

 chlorophyll. 



Alcohol extracted 4-74 % of tannin and organic acids. 



Water removed in solution 17-5 %, of which 6 9 is inorganic 

 matter. From this solution alcohol precipitated 4-5 % of albu- 

 men and 15 % of mucilage. The filtrate contained no glucose, 

 but a carbohydrate which reduced Fehling's solution only after 

 lon^ boiling, 1'4% expressed as saccharose. The ordinary mucil- 

 age of plant tissues is seldom associated with more than 5 % of 

 mineral matter; in this case, however, the ratio is nearly 70 %. 

 The ash consisted chiefly of lime and magnesia as carbonates, 

 doubtless from the decomposition of organic acids. 



Sodium hydroxide extracted 0-85 °/ Q of albuminoids, pectin, etc., 

 precipitated by alcohol. 



