164 
Bark  of  Pinus  Echinata. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  18S9. 
ascend  to  the  top  of  the  vessel,  and  so  on  continuously.  Each  time 
camphor  water  is  required  and  taken  from  the  vessel  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  fresh  distilled  water  should  be  added,  as  by  that  means  the 
supply  is  inexhaustible. 
PROXIMATE  ANALYSIS  OF  BARK  OF  PINUS  ECHINATA, 
MILLER, 
By  Chris.  Koch,  Jr. 
In  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy  of  January,  1 896,  the  late 
Professors  Bastin  and  Trimble  called  attention  to  the  small  amount 
of  original  research  which  had  been  made  on  the  plants  of  the  Coni- 
ferae.  Together  they  made  a  series  of  general  researches — chemi- 
cal and  microscopical — of  a  number  of  the  members  of  this  order. 
They  also  suggested  a  line  of  further  research. 
Acting  on  these  suggestions  the  writer  was  prompted  to  make  a 
proximate  analysis  of  the  bark  of  Pinus  echinata,  Miller,  or,  as  it  is 
commonly  called,  yellow  pine. 
This  tree  is  of  vast  commercial  importance.  The  bark  is  used 
for  tanning,  while  the  younger  trees  also  figure  in  the  turpentine 
industry.  Its  lumber  is  the  well  known  yellow  pine  used  in  all 
building  operations.  The  lumber  is  also  used  for  making  masts  and 
spars  in  shipbuilding.  The  wood  is  fine  grained  and,  when  devoid 
of  the  sap  or  outer  portion,  is  remarkably  durable.  For  a  fuller 
description  of  this  tree  the  reader  can  refer  to  American  Journal 
of  Pharmacy,  1896,  page  199, 
Proximate  analysis  of  the  Bark. — The  bark  used  for  the  following 
analysis  was  a  portion  of  the  same  lot  investigated  by  the  late  Professor 
Trimble.  It  was  collected  at  Hammonton,  N.  J.,  about  December  I, 
1895,  and  was  the  bark  of  quite  a  young  tree.  It  was  reduced  to  a 
very  fine  powder,  and  then  treated  as  follows :  A  quantity  of  the  bark 
was  macerated  with  cold  distilled  water  for  a  short  time,  and  then 
filtered.  The  filtrate  gave  the  following  reactions :  Lead  acetate,  flesh 
colored  precipitate;  ferric  chloride,  green  coloration  with  green 
precipitate  ;  gelatin,  flesh-colored  precipitate ;  bromine  water,  yellow 
precipitate.  These  reactions  all  indicated  the  presence  of  tannin. 
The  residue  on  the  filter  was  washed  with  water.  It  was  then  boiled 
with  water  and  filtered.  The  cold  filtrate  was  then  tested  for  starch. 
No  starch  was  found. 
