SOURCES OF AMYGDALINE. 
41 
The leaves also yielded a hydrocyanic distillate ; and although the 
proportion of prussic acid was but inconsiderable when compared 
with the quantity of leaves employed, still it was larger than 
in Pyrus torminalis. The distillates of the young fruits, stalks, 
and young shoots immediately showed the presence of prussic 
acid. 
Cotoneaster vulgaris. — The distillate of the short shoots showed 
but a very slight hydrocyanic reaction, and the precipitate of Prus- 
sian blue separated only after a few days; in that of the bark, of 
the flowers deprived of their stalks and of the leaves, no hydrocy- 
anic reaction took place. 
Cratcegus Oxycantha. — Only at the commencement of their 
vegetation, the distillate of the shoots, about one inch in length, 
yielded immediately a precipitate of Prussian blue ; still the pro- 
portion of prussic acid was very insignificant, and at a more ad- 
vanced stage of vegetation, in no part of the plant could prussic 
acid be detected. 
II. AMYGDALEiE. 
Prunus domestica. — Similar to Crataegus. The very you^g 
shoots yielded prussic acid, but neither the developed leaves nor 
the bark. The more advanced shoots showed in the distillate traces 
only of prussic acid. 
Primus Cerasus. — The bark of the root and of the branches, 
the leaves and the young shoots, contained no prussic acid. Nor 
could any be detected in the distillate of the ovary. 
Prunus Mahaleb. — No prussic acid could be discovered in the 
lea ves, in the bark, in the very young and slightly developed shoots 
and in the flower-racemes, although all these parts were repeatedly 
examined. 
Prunus Padus. — This tree, as is well known, contains amygda- 
line in all its parts. By distilling the leaves, considerable drops 
of bitter almond-oil were obtained, and on testing the distillate 
for prussic acid, an abundant precipitate of Prussian blue was ob- 
tained. 
These experiments show that amygdaline is very general among 
the Pomaceas, and that in many it is continually generated during 
the process of their development. With the various sorts of Pru- 
nus this appears to be otherwise. In the very young organs of 
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