144 
ON MYROXOCARPINE. 
are replaced by others, which, as they are removed, are thrown in- 
to boiling water. The heat detaches it from the cotton, and the 
valuable liquor being of less gravity than the water, floats on the 
top, is skimmed off, and put in calabashes for sale. The wood of 
the tree is of close grain, handsomely veined, nearly of a mahogany 
color, but redder ; it retains for a long time an agreeable fragrant 
odor, and takes a fine polish. It would be excellent for cabinet 
makers, but is seldom to be obtained, as the trees are never felled, 
until by age or accidental decay all their precious sap is exhaust- 
ed. This balsam was long erroneously supposed to be a production 
of Southern America, for, in the early period of Spanish dominion, 
and by the commercial regulations then existing relative to the 
fruits of this coast, it was usually sent by the merchants here to 
Callao, and being then transmitted to Spain, it there received the 
name of Balsam of Peru, being deemed indigenous to that region. 
The real place of its origin was known only to a few mercantile 
men."— (Pp. 93, 94.) 
ON MYROXOCARPINE — A NEW CRYSTALLINE SUSBTANCE 
FROM WHITE BALSAM. 
By John Stenhouse, LL. D., F. R. S. 
A few months ago I received a quantity of fragrant semifluid 
balsam from my friend Dr. Pereira, which had been sent to him 
from Guatemala, under the name of white balsam. 
This balsam is said to be obtained from the fruits of the same 
tree which yields the ordinary balsam of Peru. 
The white balsam is quite neutral to test paper, and has a 
peculiar agreeable smell, pretty closely resembling that of melilot. 
On digesting the balsam in spirit of wine of ordinary strength, a 
considerable portion of it readily dissolved, and on the clear liquid 
remaining at rest for twelve hours, a quantity of large white crys- 
tals were gradually deposited. These crystals, which retained a 
good deal of adhering resinous 'matter, were obtained perfectly 
pure when they had been digested with a little animal charcoal, 
and repeatedly crystallized out of hot spirits. When pure the 
