32 
GLEANINGS  FROM  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
The  resinous  part  of  the  extract  when  treated  by  dilute  liquor 
potassse,  and  afterwards  by  alcohol,  did  not  afford  the  crystalline 
matter.  The  ethereal  extract  of  the  fruit  contains  much  fixed 
oil  associated  with  acrid  soft  resin. 
All  parts  of  this  Magnolia  are  more  pungent  when  recent 
than  after  drying,  and  preparations  made  from  the  bark  or  fruit, 
are  best  made  from  the  recent  plant.  The  results  of  Dr. 
Procter  with  the  bark  of  Magnolia  grandiflora  show  that  that 
bark  owes  some  of  its  virtues  to  volatile  oil,  and  that  this  oil  is 
found  much  more  abundantly  in  the  recent  than  in  the  dried 
bark.  The  experiments  here  detailed  indicate  that  the  Magnolia 
glauca  has  an  analogous  constitution,  but  seems  much  less 
strongly  impregnated  with  the  volatile  oil  and  other  active 
principles. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  J.  M.  Maisch. 
Solid  oil  of  mint,  pretending  to  have  been  imported  into 
Hamburg  from  Japan,  was  examined  by  Gorup-Besanez,  who 
found  it  to  consist  of  the  stearoptene  of  mint  and  of  13-66  per 
cent,  sulphate  of  magnesia,  which  evidently  had  been  intention- 
ally added  to  impart  a  fine  crystalline  appearance  to  the  pro- 
duct.— (Ann.  der  Chem.  und  Pharm.  cxix.  245.) 
To  recognize  grape  sugar  beside  cane  sugar. — 0.  Schmidt 
employs  trisacetate  of  lead  and  ammonia,  which  produce  with 
both  sugars  white  precipitates,  which  after  a  while,  particularly 
when  heated,  assumes  a  red  color  in  the  presence  of  grape 
sugar,  but  remains  unaltered  by  cane  sugar  ;  a  small  quantity 
of  the  former  mixed  with  a  large  proportion  of  the  latter  may 
thus  be  recognized  by  the  red  tint  of  the  precipitate. — (Ann. 
der  Chem.  und  Pharm.  cxix.  102.) 
Influence  of  silicic  acid  on  fermentation. — J.  C.  Leuchs 
states  that  silicic  acid  precipitated  from  water  glass,  produces 
fermentation  in  saccharine  solutions,  particularly  after  the 
addition  of  some  tartaric  acid,  and  generates  the  odor  of  beer 
yeast,  afterwards  of  fruits,  and  finally  of  ether ;  in  very  dilute 
