fer°T;mA4RM"}  Balsams  of  L.  Styraciflua  and  Orientate.  165 
The  same  advantages  from  the  use  of  benzin  will  also  be  observed  in 
extracting  styracin. 
The  foregoing  experiments  serve  to  show  the  very  close  analogy 
between  the  balsam  of  Liquidambar  styraciflua  and  that  of  L.  orien- 
tate. In  this  case  the  balsam  of  the  former  was  treated  in  the  manner 
given  by  Grmelin  in  the  examination  of  storax,  and  precisely  the  same 
result  obtained,  and  in  similar  quantities.  The  balsam  also  somewhat 
resembles  storax  in  its  physical  properties  ;  the  tree  producing  it  be- 
longs to  the  same  natural  order,  and  hence  it  is  natural  to  conclude 
i;hat  by  a  proper  treatment  of  the  fresh  bark,  a  product  similar  to, 
:and  answering  all  the  purposes  of,  liquid  storax,  may  be  obtained. 
ON  THE  BALSAMS  OF  LIQUIDAMBAR  STYRACIFLUA  AND 
ORIENTALE. 
By  John  M.  Maisch. 
The  experiments  detailed  in  the  essay  of  Mr.  Harrison,  and  the 
-interesting  results  obtained  by  him,  leave  no  doubt  of  the  identity  of 
the  balsamic  exudations  as  obtained  from  the  Asiatic  and  American 
species  of  the  genus  Liquidambar.  The  difference  in  their  physical 
appearance  is  readily  accounted  for  by  the  different  methods  employed 
in  obtaining  the  storax  of  commerce,  and  the  so-called  sweet  gum  of  our 
Southern  States.  While  the  latter,  even  after  having  become  dark- 
colored  by  exposure,  is  perfectly  transparent  in  thin  layers,  the  former 
is  of  a  peculiar  grey  color  and  opaque,  until  the  water  which  it  con- 
tains has  been  expelled  by  heat  or  allowed  to  settle  by  long  standing, 
in  which  latter  case  the  lower  stratum  will  retain  the  opacity  of  the 
commercial  article,  while  the  superior  stratum  will  have  assumed  the 
perfect  transparency  which  the  natural  exudation  of  L.  orientate  un- 
doubtedly possesses,  though  the  color  of  the  latter  is  likely  to  be  and 
remain  lighter  than  that  of  the  clarified  storax.  If  these  premises 
are  correct,  it  was  to  be  expected  that  the  introduction  of  water  into 
the  sweet  gum  should  produce  an  opaque  article,  resembling  storax  in 
appearance.  An  experiment  made  by  Mr.  Harrison  at  the  laboratory 
-of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  proved  the  correctness  of 
the  inference  stated ;  when  sweet  gum  was  heated  in  a  water-bath, 
together  with  a  small  quantity  of  water,  and  frequently  stirred,  the 
balsam  assumed  a  grey  color,  and  remained  opaque  after  cooling.  I 
cliave  no  doubt  that  the  resemblance  to  storax  will  be  still  greater  if 
