464 
ON  THE  GROUND  NUT  ARACHIS,  HYPOGOEA. 
caution  being  observed  by  the  firm,  against  whom  we  feel  obliged 
to  record  our  deep  censure." — Lond.  Pharm.  Journ.  July,  1869. 
ESSENTIAL  OIL  OF  COCHLEARIA  OFFICINALIS. 
It  appears  that  this  essential  oil  has  been  frequently  confused 
with  the  essential  oil  of  mustard,  from  which  the  author  (Dr.  A. 
W.  Hofmann),  on  experiment,  found  it  essentially  different.  The 
boiling  point  of  the  oil  of  Cochlearia  is  at  about  160°  C,  that 
of  the  genuine  oil  of  mustard  at  147°  C.  On  being  treated 
with  ammonia,  the  essential  oil  of  Cochlearia  yields  a  beautifully- 
crystallizing  substance  (the  thiosinnamin  of  the  essential  oil  of 
Cochlearia),  which  fuses  at  135°  0.  Analysis  of  the  oil  and  the 
ammonia  compound  just  alluded  to,  prove  the  oil  to  be  the  mus- 
tard oil  (Senfol),  of  the  butyl  series — 
When  butylamine  (prepared  from  butyl  alcohol  by  fermentation) 
is  treated  with  sulphide  of  carbon  and  chloride  of  mercury,  a 
mustard  oil  is  obtained  of  the  same  composition  and  about  the 
same  boiling  point,  but  the  odor  indicated  that  only  an  isomeric 
substance  had  been  obtained,  and  further  research  proved  that 
the  ammonia  compound  of  the  oil,  thus  artificially  produced,  had 
its  melting  point  at  90°  C.  The  author  intends  to  proceed  with 
researches  on  this  subject. — Chem,  Neivs,  June,  1869,  from 
Berichte  der  Beutschen  Chemischen  Gresellschaft  zu  Berlin, 
ON  THE  GROUND  NUT  ARACHIS,  HYPOGCEA.  ' 
M.  F.  A.  FlUckiger. 
This  is  a  monograph  on  the  subject,  and  includes  the  origin, 
discovery,  occurrence,  and  commercial  history  of  the  fruit  of  a 
plant  belonging  to  the  natural  order  of  the  Leguminosce.  The 
fruit  is  known,  in  English  language,  as  ground-nut,  earth-nut,  pea- 
nut  and  manilla-nut ;  in  French  as  orachide,  or  pistache  de  terre. 
The  plant  which  yields  this  fruit  is  a  native  of  tropical  and  sub- 
tropical regions,  and  belongs  especially  to  Africa.  The  average 
weight  of  the  seeds  contained  in  the  fruit  and  bearers  of  the  oil 
