390 



On the Composition of the 



of ammonia, which would remain dissolved in the water if no 

 care were taken to evaporate the liquid completely to dryness. 

 The ammonia, which is given off under these circumstances, is 

 fixed by the hydrochloric acid in the receiving apparatus. Its 

 quantity was easily ascertained by evaporating the liquid in the 

 receiver to dryness on a water-bath, with the addition of bichlo- 

 ride of platinum. The precipitate of bichloride of platinum 

 and ammonium thus produced v/as washed on a weighed filter 

 with a mixture of alcohol and ether, in order to remove the 

 excess of bichloride of platinum, which had been previously 

 added. When quite clean, the filter with the insoluble double 

 salt of chloride of platinum and ammonium was dried at 212^ 

 V.y weighed, and the amount of ammonia which it contained 

 calculated. 



Having thus given a description of the mode in which the 

 organic analyses were executed, we shall now proceed to state 

 the results obtained in the analyses of both roots. 



I. Composition of Parsnips. 



Wate?\ — 1. Dried in the water-bath, the fresh roots lost 81'78 

 per cent, of water. 



2. In another determination 82*32 per cent, were obtained ; or, 

 on an average, parsnips were found to contain 82*05 per cent, 

 of water. 



Ash. — 1. 275-05 gi'ains of fresh parsnip left, on burning, 

 2*60 grains of ash : 100 parts of the fresh root, therefore, con- 

 tain •941 per cent, of ash, or 5*16 per cent, in the dried state. 



2. 275*7 grains of fresh parsnip left, on burning, 2*55 grains 

 of ash : 100 parts of fresh parsnips consequently gave 0*924 per 

 cent., or ICO parts in the dried state gave 5*23 per cent, of ash. 



Protein Compounds. — 1. 15*8 grains of substance, dried at 

 212°, burned with soda-lime, gave 2*88 grains of chloride of 

 platinum and ammonium: or 100 parts of dry parsnips contain 

 1*14 per cent, of nitrogen, which is equal to 7*12 per cent, of 

 protein compounds. In the natural state parsnips consequently 

 contain 0*20 of nitrogen, or 1*25 per cent, of protein compounds. 



2. 12*74 grains of substance, dried at 212°, burned with soda- 

 lime, gave 2 42 grains of chloride of platinum and ammonium: 

 or 100 parts of dry parsnips contain 1*19 per cent, of nitrogen, 

 equal to 7*43 per cent, of protein compounds. 



Fresh parsnips, according to this determination, therefore, 

 contain 0-21 of nitrogen, or 1*31 per cent, of protein compounds. 

 According to these determinations, the general composition of 

 fresh parsnips may be represented as follows : — 



