DISCOVERY  OF  EMERY  IN  CHESTER,  MASS. 
277 
carminates  are  almost  insoluble  ;  the  color  of  their  solution  is 
carmine  red. 
Carminates  are  decomposed  by  acid3,  giving  an  orange  co- 
lored solution,  which  does  not  alter  on  boiling.  The  solution 
of  carminate  of  alumina,  such  as  is  obtained  by  the  addition  of 
tincture  of  cochineal  to  a  neutral  solution  of  alumina,  free  from 
iron,  has  a  beautiful  carmine  color,  which  turns  to  violet  by 
contact  with  the  air,  especially  when  hot;  if  the  solution  be 
acid,  this  change  does  not  take  place;  when  the  free  acid  is 
tartaric  or  citric  acid,  a  red  pulverulent  deposit,  formed  proba- 
bly of  carminate  of  alumina,  is,  after  a  short  time,  obtained  ; 
this  deposit  is  very  little  soluble  in  water,  insoluble  in  alcohol, 
but  soluble  in  acids  and  in  alkalies. 
Carminates  of  iron  form  precipitates  of  a  dark  violet  (ferrous 
salts)  -or  brown,  (ferric  salts),  slightly  soluble  in  water  ;  strong 
acids,  and  also  concentrated  alkalies  decompose  them. 
Carminates  of  zinc,  nickel,  cobalt,  and  manganese  are  almost 
insoluble  ;  their  color  is  carmine  violet. 
Salts  of  lead  and  copper  are  insoluble,  and  dark  violet  in 
color. 
By  adding  a  solution  of  cochineal  to  a  stannous  salt,  a  violet 
color  is  obtained,  becoming  dark  carmine  if  the  solution  is  shaken 
in  the  air,  or,  better  still,  with  chlorine  water. 
Carminate  of  silver  is  unstable. — Chem.  Neivs,  (Lond.),  May, 
5th,  1865. 
DISCOVERY  OF  EMERY  IN  CHESTER,  MASSACHUSETTS. 
By  Charles  T.  Jackson,  M.  D., 
Geologist  and  State  Assayer. 
It  has  been  said,  in  England,  that  "  a  good  mine  of  emery  is 
worth  more  to  a  manufacturing  people  than  many  mines  of 
gold."  Such  being  the  case,  it  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  be 
able  to  announce  the  discovery  of  an  inexhaustible  bed  of  the 
best  emery  in  the  world  in  the  middle  of  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts, in  Chester,  Hampden  county,  quite  near  to  the  West- 
ern Railroad,  which,  with  its  ramifications,  leads  to  the  largest 
armories  and  manufactories  of  metallic  articles  in  this  and  the 
adjacent  States. 
For  more  than  two  years,  the  existence  of  important  beds  of 
