224 
NATIVE  CRYSTALLIZED  TERPIN. 
ences  which,  as  he  states,  disappear  when  both  are  recrystallized 
from  the  same  solvent.* 
After  Mr.  Blake  had  finished  his  examinations,  a  combustion 
was  made  on  nearly  the  whole  available  substance.  The  hydro- 
gen determination  was  lost  by  the  fracture  of  the  CaCl  tube,  but 
the  estimation  of  carbon  fully  confirmed  the  conclusions  previ- 
ously arrived  at.  The  combustion  was  effected  in  a  tube  partly 
filled  with  oxyd  of  copper  and  in  a  stream  of  oxygen,  the  sub- 
stance itself  being  placed  in  a  tray  of  platinum.  On  application 
of  heat  it  swelled  and  afterwards  vaporized  completely,  without 
blackening  and  without  leaving  a  weighable  residue.  On  the 
cold  parts  of  the  tube  silky  crystals  of  anhydrous  terpin  con- 
densed.   This  deportment  is  characteristic  of  terpin. 
The  amount  of  substance  burned  was  but  0-0975  grm.  The 
increase  in  weight  of  the  potash  bulbs  and  tube  was  0*225  grm. 
This  gives  carbon  62-93  per  cent.  The  calculated  quantity  is 
63*16  per  cent. 
The  substance  is  therefore  hydrated  terpin  or  crystallized 
turpentine  camphor  0.2^^0^  -f-2aq.  Perhaps  we  should  say  it 
is  one  of  the  terpins,  since,  according  to  Berthelot,  the  different 
oils  of  turpentine,  on  hydration,  yield  crystals  of  different  de- 
grees of  solubility. 
The  formation  of  this  substance  in  the  buried  tree  presents  no 
difficulties,  since  we  know  on  the  authority  of  Dumas,  Deville 
and  others,  that  oil  of  turpentine  in  contact  with  water,  com- 
bines with  the  latter  in  absence  of  acids  or  other  powerful  agents 
of  chemical  change. 
Prof.  Brewer,  who  is  familiar  with  the  timber  of  California,  is 
of  the  opinion  that  the  wood  to  which  the  crystals  were  attached 
is  that  of  a  pitch  pine,  Pinus  ponderosa. 
This  appears  to  be  the  first  recorded  instance  of  the  occurrence 
of  crystallized  terpin,  native. — Amer.  Jour,  of  Science  and  Arts, 
March,  1867. 
*  Mr.  Blake  has  measured  and  figured  both  the  native  and  artificial  crys- 
tals and  has  in  reserve  some  other  valuable  observations  which  it  is  to  be 
hoped  he  will  shortly  publish.— S.  W.  J. 
