178 ON FRASERA WALTER I. 
fusion, a slight precipitate was observed, showing lime to be 
present. 
A portion of the bruised root was submitted to the action 
of water slightly acidulated with hydrochloric acid ; to this 
infusion, which was of a light wine color, oxalate of ammo- 
nia was added ; a greater precipitate than in the simple infu- 
sion was observed, from which circumstance it may be sup- 
posed the larger portion of lime was in combination with an 
acid, most probably the carbonic, which compound is insolu- 
ble in water ; the decomposition of this salt would take place 
on the addition of the acidulated liquid, affording a solution 
of the soluble hydrochlorate of lime, which in turn would be 
decomposed by oxalate of ammonia ; producing a dense white 
precipitate of the very insoluble oxalate of lime. 
The ashes obtained by incinerating a portion of the root 
were treated with very dilute hydrochloric acid, which pro- 
duced effervescence. When filtered to separate a small quanti- 
ty of charcoal, oxalate of ammonia or soda produced a dense 
white precipitate, thus confirming the preceding experiments 
in testing for lime. 
The presence of iron was not indicated by the addition of 
ferrocyanate or sulphocyanate of potassa to the decoction. 
On the supposition that iron might be present in the state 
of protoxide, a portion of the root was boiled in water acidu- 
lated with nitric acid. This action would have converted it 
into sesquioxide: but no blue compound was formed by the 
addition of ferrocyanate of potassa. 
When a salt of the sesquioxide of iron was added to the 
decoction or infusion, it assumed a greenish-black color; 
showing tannin to be present; and that variety which exists 
in Peruvian bark, kino, &c. &c. 
Solution of gelatin produced no change whatever in the in- 
fusion or decoction, from which we may judge the tannin to 
exist in small quantity. 
Nitrate of silver caused a white precipitate. 
Solution of potassa deepened the red color of the decoc- 
