482  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am,oXi|i.arm' 
What  importance,  beside  the  use  for  perfume  purposes,  the  trade 
of  fresh  flowers  has  obtained,  may  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  during 
the  time  extending  from  November  I,  1887,  to  the  end  of  May, 
1888,  there  were  shipped,  from  the  station  at  Cannes  alone,  369-096 
kg.  of  fresh  flowers,  with  a  value  of  1,858,325  Frcs.,  while  for  the 
season  1888-89  it  reached  a  value  of  2,855,475  Francs,  or  an 
increase  of  997,150  Frcs.  over  the  previous  year. 
Translated  from  Gartenflora,  Sept.  1,  1891.  M.  A.  M. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS.. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
Linamarin,  a  glucoside  yielding  hydrocyanic  acid  present  in  the 
embryo  of  flaxseed,  has  been  isolated  by  A.  Jorissen  and  E.  Hairs; 
it  resembles  amygdalin  by  yielding  sugar  and  hydrocyanic  acid  in  its 
decomposition  by  mineral  acids  and  flaxseed-meal  emulsions.  Lina- 
marin  forms  colorless  needles  crystallizing  in  groups,  having  a  cool- 
ing and  very  bitter  taste  ;  ultimate  analysis  gives  the  following  com- 
position :  C  47-88  per  cent.,  H  6-68  per  cent.,  N  5-55  per  cent.,  O 
39-89  per  cent.  The  following  points  of  difference  are  noted  between 
linamarin  and  amygdalin :  Amygdalin  is  soluble  in  twelve  parts  of 
water;  by  heating  to  1200  C.  it  loses  water  and  melts  with  decom- 
position at  200°  C;  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  imparts  a  beautiful 
violet  coloration  ;  it  contains  52-51  per  cent,  carbon  and  3-06  per 
cent,  nitrogen ;  amygdalin  is  decomposed  by  an  emulsion  of  sweet 
almonds,  also  by  an  emulsion  of  flaxseed-meal ;  benzaldehyde  is 
one  of  its  decomposition  products.  Linamarin  is  soluble  in  an  equal 
weight  of  water;  by  heating  to  1200  C.  no  water  is  eliminated,  it 
melts  at  1340  C.  and  can  be  heated  to  1500  without  decomposition  ; 
it  is  not  colored  by  concentrated  sulphuric  acid;  it  contains  less 
carbon  and  more  nitrogen;  linamarin  is  decomposed  by  an  emul- 
sion of  flaxseed-meal  but  not  by  an  emulsion  of  sweet  almonds ; 
benzaldehyde  cannot  be  found  among  the  decomposition  products. 
— (Jour,  de  Pharm.  d'Anvers.)  Pharm.  Post,  1891,  659. 
Cod-liver  oil  emulsion. — Instead  of  the  usual  method  of  preparation 
with  acacia,  P.  van  Aspern  recommends  the  use  of  a  20  per  cent, 
solution  of  potash  soap  by  which  means  it  is  possible  to  prepare  an 
emulsion  containing  80  per  cent,  of  oil ;  the  emulsion  is  stated  to  be 
