"^"'juiy'iSi"™'}  Gigantic  EJmbarb.  333 
by  no  means  like  that  of  bnchu  leaves.  It  is  solnble  in  concentrated 
siilplmric  acid,  bnt  withont  forming  a  crystallizable  compound.  It  is 
also  readily  soluble  in  caustic  alkalies,  and  is  precipitated  from  these 
solutions  by  carbonic  acid.  No  well  defined  compound  of  diosplienol 
with  potassium,  sodium  or  barium  could  be  obtained.  Salicylic  acid 
could  not  be  obtained  from  oil  of  buclui. 
At  the  time  Prof.  Wayne  reported  his  results  he  kindly  presented 
me  with  samples  of  the  two  crystalline  substances  obtained  by  him. 
One  of  these  principles  agrees  in  all  its  properties  with  the  diosplienol 
of  Fliickiger;  the  other  is  without  doubt  salicylic  acid,  as  is  made 
evident  by  the  purple  reaction  with  ferric  chloride,  by  its  melting-point, 
which  is  above  150°C.=302°F.  (salicylic  acid  melts  at  155°C.=311° 
F.),  and  by  the  odor,  which  is  similar  to  that  of  oil  of  wintergreen, 
given  off  on  heating  a  little  of  the  substance  with  alcohol  and  sul- 
phuric acid. 
Of  tlie  six  samples  of  buchu  oil  in  my  possession  one  was  distilled 
by  myself  from  Barosma  betulina,  and  all  except  one  are  at  the  pres- 
ent date  over  fifteen  years  old.  Four  of  the  oils  have  deposited  stear- 
opten  either  in  large  or  small  crystals,  which  in  all  cases  agree  in 
properties  with  diosplienol.  The  oil  of  long  buchu,  Barosma  serrati- 
folia,  of  which  I  have  a  specimen,  distilled  by  Prof.  Bedford,  gives 
with  ferric  salt  a  greenish-black  reaction,  without  the  slightest  tint  of 
purple,  and  is  therefore  free  from  salicylic  acid. 
From  the  above,  I  believe  it  may  be  considered  as  proven  that  the 
leaves  of  Barosma  betulina  and  of  Bar.  serratifolia  do  not  contain 
salicylic  acid,  nor  yield  it  on  being  subjected  to  distillation  with  w^ater. 
Whether  that  compound  may  be  produced  from  the  leaves  under  the 
influence  of  fermentation  has  not  been  ascertained.  It  is  not  unlikely 
that  the  presence  of  another  kind  of  leaves,  whether  of  the  genus 
Barosma  or  of  some  other  genus  or  natural  order,  may  account  for  the 
yield  of  salicylic  acid,  observed  by  Professor  Wayne. 
Gig'antic  Rhubarb. — According  to  the  '^Journal  de  St.  Petersbur 
Colonel  Przewalsky,  Avhile  making  his  way  from  Lining-fu  to  the 
sources  of  the  YelloAv  river,  passed  through  a  plateau  where  a  rhubarb 
plant  grows  wild  and  attains  an  extraordinary  development.  Roots 
were  found  which  were  16  in.  long,  12  in.  broad  and  7  in.  thick  and 
weighed  26  lbs. — Fliar,  Jour,  and  Trans.,  April  16,  p.  860. 
