2  The  Coloring  Principle  of  Poke  Berries.  {^S^mCT: 
leum  ether  extracted  a  small  quantity  of  greenish  fat,  soluble  in 
alcohol,  from  which  separated  a  crystalline  wax.  Stronger  ether 
extracted  a  peculiar  olive  green,  strongly  odorous  fat,  which,  when 
digested  with  water  and  this  treated  with  Fehling's  solution,  gave 
a  slight  reduction.  The  residue  of  the  alcoholic  extract  consisted 
of  dark  brown  resinous  matter.  The  berries  were  next  subjected  to 
distilled  water,  which  was  colored  at  once  a  bright  red,  and  extracted 
the  compounds  mentioned  above  besides  citric  and  tartaric  acids. 
Pectin,  albuminous  matter  and  pararabin  were  extracted  by  dilute 
solutions  of  sodium  hydrate  and  hydrochloric  acid.  The  residue 
consisted  now  almost  entirely  of  the  whole  seeds.  These  were 
coarsely  powdered  and  subjected  to  a  partial  analysis,  with  the 
following  results : 
Moisture,   17-62 
Ash,   -98 
Petroleum  ether,  
Stronger  ether,   -91 
Absolute  alcohol,   2*48 
Residue,   67*07 
IOO'OO 
Petroleum  ether  extracted  a  yellowish,  bland,  inodorous  fixed 
oil,  which  deposited  a  crystalline  precipitate.  The  oil  was  digested 
with  acidulated  water  and  this  tested  with  Mayer's  reagent  and 
Fehling's  solution  with  negative  results.  The  ethereal  extractr 
digested  with  water,  gave  an  acid  reaction  and  a  dark  olive  green 
color  with  Fe2Q6.  Acidulated  water  as  well  as  an  alcoholic  solu- 
tion of  this  ethereal  extract  were  tested  for  alkaloid  and  glucoside, 
giving  no  indication  for  the  former,  but  a  slight  reduction  of 
Fehling's  solution  for  the  latter  principle.  Absolute  alcohol 
extracted  from  the  seeds  a  brownish  red  crystalline  substance, 
which  was  treated  with  water  and  the  aqueous  portion  tested  as 
follows:  Fe2Cl6  gave  a  dark  greenish  precipitate;  NaOH  a  brown 
color,  and  subsequent  treatment  with  Fehling's  solution  a  precipi- 
tate of  Cu20.  The  residual  alcoholic  extract  was  then  treated  with 
acidulated  as  well  as  alkalinated  water,  and  both  portions  shaken 
respectively  with  petroleum  ether,  stronger  ether  and  chloroform. 
The  stronger  ether  extracted  from  the  acidulated  portion  a  colorless 
crystalline  principle,  which  was  soluble  in  chloroform  and  alcohol, 
slightly  in  water,  and  gave  with  H2S04  a  bright  yellow  color,  which 
