On the Chemical and Natural History of Lupuline. 201 



bitterness, but is deficient in delicacy of aroma. Were 

 pains taken (and I have reason to believe that hitherto they 

 have not been taken) to select suitable varieties from the 

 Kentish hop-gardens, and to ascertain, more precisely than 

 we as yet know, what are the special influences of certain 

 soils and climates, no one can doubt but that a great im- 

 provement would result in the character of Canadian hops. 

 All attempts in this direction must proceed upon a correct 

 knowledge of the nature of the substances which give the 

 hop its economical value ; and although M. Personnels 

 memoir is more complete and satisfactory than any other 

 that has been published, yet it is to be hoped that by 

 again calling attention to the subject, additional informa- 

 tion may be obtained on points that are still imperfectly 

 made out. 



The cones of the hop {Humiilus Lupulus) employed in 

 therapeutics, and especially in the manufacture of beer, owe 

 their properties to a multitude of yellow corpuscles, re- 

 sinous and odorous, which are separated very freely in 

 bruising the ripe and dry cones. These small bodies have 

 been successively called by the names of Lupulin, Lupuline, 

 and Lupulite. It is to these that the hop owes its bitter 

 and aromatic flavour ; for if the scales and the fruit are de- 

 prived of this yellow powder, the cones lose those properties 

 on account of which they are sought after. 



The importance of this substance has been known for 

 a sufiiciently long time. In 1821, Dr Ives of New York 

 attempted to determine its principal constituents, and en- 

 deavoured to introduce it into therapeutics under the name 

 of Lupulin. In France, almost about the same time, 

 Planche likewise concluded that it was a proximate sub- 

 stance, and named it Lupuline, because, said he, " This 

 substance is to the hop what quinine is to cinchona or 

 strychnine to nux-vomica." 



In 1822, MM. Payen and Chevallier made the most com- 

 plete chemical analysis which we have of this substance. 

 They thereby demonstrated the complex nature of lupuline, 

 and, consequently, the error of Planche ; but the small 

 quantity of substance upon which these chemists worked. 



