64 
Selected Articles. 
sufficient quantity of this alkali is added to give it the con- 
sistence of a syrup, which is to be filtered, and exposed in 
thin layers in porcelain plates to the heat of the sun or a 
stove ; it soon dries, and separates from the plate, in brown, 
transparent, vitreous scales ; this pectate is completely soluble 
in distilled water, from which alcohol and sugar will sepa- 
rate the pectic acid in the form of a jelly. 
If, instead of ammonia, caustic potash or soda be employ- 
ed, there will be a formation of pectates of these bases. 
It is of the utmost importance to use water for the wash- 
ings which contains neither lime nor calcareous salts, as a 
very small quantity of these will cause the formation of pec- 
tate of lime, and hence a failure of the operation. 
From two hundred pounds of red currants, I obtained near 
eight ounces of pectate of ammonia, which would give a ge- 
latinous consistence to five hundred times its weight of water. 
When a large quantity of pectic acid is to be made, there 
might be some difficulty in procuring a sufficiency of dis- 
tilled, or rain water ; I have in such case successfully used 
river and well water, deprived of its calcareous salts by 
means of a little potash, but care must be taken not to render 
it alkaline, or it will dissolve the pectic acid and thus dimi- 
nish the product. Journ. de Pharm. 
