Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Mar.  1, 1874.  J 
Gigartina  Acicularis,  etc. 
125 
the  accounts  of  their  shops.  They  manage  to  make  a  capital  living. 
The  whole  of  the  excise  duty  on  ganja  is  contributed  by  the  laboring 
classes.  There  has  not  been  any  improvement  in  the  cultivation  of 
ganja;  the  same  manures  which  had  been  used  in  years  gone  by  are 
used  to  this  day.  The  same  process  for  conserving  the  manure  is  fol- 
lowed. There  has  evidently  been  deterioration  in  quality  of  the  pro- 
duce ;  the  plants  do  not  weigh  so  heavy  as  they  used  to  do  twenty 
years  ago. — Journ.  of  Applied  Science,  Feb.  1,  1874. 
GIGARTINA  ACICULARIS   AS  AN  ADULTERANT  OF  CARRA- 
GEEN MOSS  * 
By  J.  Dalmon. 
The  author  has  for  some  time  frequently  observed  in  French  com- 
merce the  mixture  of  Grigartina  acicularis  with  carrageen  moss  (Fucus 
crispus,  L.  ;  Chondrus  polymorplius,  Lam.),  and  he  states  that  he  has 
received  specimens  of  moss  containing  as  much  as  40  per  cent,  of  it. 
The  mixture  is  readily  discovered  upon  a  moderately  careful  exami- 
nation. 
The  Gcigartina  acicularis,  Lam  belongs,  like  the  Fucus  crispus,  to  the 
order  of  Algae,  sub-order  of  Choristosporeae.  It  is  distinguished  from 
the  latter  by  its  cylindrical,  cartilaginous,  subdichotomous,  flexuous 
fronds,  with  acuminate  most  frequently  bifurcated  branches,  sending 
out  lateral  horizontal  spiniform  branchlets.  The  concepticles  are  spher- 
ical, sessile,  and  thin.  The  mixture  is  also  manifested  by  the  light  brown 
tint  retained  by  the  pedicels,  which  gives  to  the  mass  an  appearance 
of  a  less  uniform  color  than  that  presented  ordinarily  by  carrageen. 
Placed  in  contact  with  cold  water,  the  Grigartina  acicularis,  absorbs 
it  rapidly  and  in  great  quantity,  and  swells  considerably.  Treated 
with  boiling  water  it  dissolves,  but  in  much  less  proportion  than  Fucus 
crispus  ;  the  jelly  which  it  yields  upon  cooling  is  opaque,  whitish,  and 
without  consistence.  100  parts  of  this  alga  leaves  upon  calcination 
16  parts  of  a  residue  which  retains  the  form  of  the  plant.  This  ash 
dissolves  partly  in  water.  The  solution  is  neutral  ;  it  is  precipitated 
slightly  by  nitrate  of  silver,  and  abundantly  by  nitrate  of  baryta  and 
oxalate  of  ammonia.  The  solution  evaporated,  and  redissolved  in 
alcohol  and  water  gives,  with  phosphate  of  ammonia  a  crystalline 
precipitate.    The  insoluble  part  of  the  residue  consists  of  carbonate 
*  Repertoire  de  Pharmacie,  new  series,  vol.  i,  p.  696. 
