21 8  Myrica  Asplenifolia.  {^'^'mt^' 
Tannin. — The  amount  of  this  constituent  was  determined  by 
estimation  of  the  separate  parts  gathered  at  different  times  of  the 
year.  The  tannin  was  precipitated  from  decoctions  representing  25 
grams  of  the  material  in  a  liter.  The  decoctions  of  the  rhizome 
were  of  a  yellow  color,  those  of  the  leaves  and  stem  were  reddish- 
brown. 
A  solution  of  2  grams  of  gelatin  and  10  grams  of  alum  in  the  liter 
was  used  as  a  precipitant  of  the  tannin.  The  precipitations  were 
carried  out  in  hot  solutions.  The  precipitates  were  collected,  washed 
with  hot  water,  dried  and  weighed.  Of  the  weight  obtained,  54 
per  cent,  was  taken  as  the  equivalent  of  gall  tannin. 
The  estimations  were  made  within  twenty-four  hours  after  the 
material  was  collected.  The  average  of  two  or  three  closely  agree- 
ing results  was  used. 
Tannin  in 
Tannin  in 
Month. 
moist  state. 
Moisture. 
absolutely  drv  state.  Ash. 
Leaves  : 
Per  Cent. 
Per  Cent. 
Per  Cent. 
Per  Cent 
June, 
6-35 
IO-I5 
7-06 
4-85 
Stem  : 
9-42 
8'40 
IO-28 
2*76 
July, 
372 
10*64 
4-16 
1*46 
Rhizome : 
June, 
3 '46 
IO'87 
3-88 
2'27 
August, 
5*47 
9-96 
6  -00 
2'27 
September, 
4-86 
9-85 
5 '33 
2-25 
January, 
4'43 
8*22 
4-82 
1-97 
Preparation  and  Purification  of  the  Tannin. — The  filtrates  from  the 
precipitated  resinous  matters  were  used  as  the  sources  of  this  con- 
stituent. The  following  experiments  were  made  on  both  leaves  and 
rhizome.  Attempts  to  remove  the  tannin  by  agitation  with  acetic 
ether  were  not  attended  with  much  success,  as  only  a  very  small 
quantity  of  dark  colored  material  was  removed.  A  portion  of  the 
filtrate  was  precipitated  with  basic  lead  acetate,  the  precipitate  col- 
lected, washed,  suspended  in  water  and  decomposed  by  hydrogen 
sulphide.  The  lead  sulphide  was  removed  by  filtration,  and  after 
the  excess  of  hydrogen  sulphide  had  been  expelled  by  warming, 
part  of  the  filtrate  was  shaken  with  acetic  ether,  but  no  more  nor 
purer  tannin  was  obtained  than  in  the  first  attempt  to  separate  it. 
The  whole  filtrate  was  then  saturated  with  sodium  chloride,  and 
again  agitated  with  acetic  ether.  Upon  recovering  the  solvent 
under  diminished  pressure,  a  porous,  reddish  residue  remained.  This 
