176 
SULPHUR  IN  CALIFORNIA. 
filtrate  was  freed  from  lead  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  and  when 
evaporated  left  a  very  bitter  extract.  It  was  dissolved  in  alcohol 
and  the  solution  agitated  with  ether  ;  the  alcoholic  ether  had  re- 
tained nothing  of  importance  in  solution,  while  the  separated 
syrup  contained  all  the  bitterness. 
The  aqueous  liquid  filtered  from  the  charcoal  was  of  a  nice 
brown-yellow  color,  showed  a  strong  iridescence  in  green, 
had  a  sweetish  taste,  and  readily  reduced  the  oxide  of  copper 
from  Trommer's  solution.  Subacetate  of  lead  precipitated  some 
acids,  which  were  scarcely  acted  on  by  sesquichloride  of  iron. 
The  syrup  obtained  by  evaporation,  was  dissolved  in  alcohol 
when  the  iridescence  reappeared,  and  then  mixed  with  ether,  when 
a  syrup  separated  which  could  not  be  crystallized  ;  dried  in  the 
waterbath,  it  weighed  1J  oz.  The  alcoholic  ether  had  taken  up 
from  the  syrup  a  little  of  a  brown  bitter  substance. 
The  author  obtained  the  bitter  principle,  like  Dulk,  in  the  form 
of  a  brownish  yellow  extract,  he  intends  to  experiment  with  the 
fresh  root  of  Gentiana  lutea,  hoping  therefrom  to  gain  the  gentia- 
nine  in  a  state  unobjectionable  to  chemists.  The  above  extract 
was  prepared  by  the  process  of  the  Prussian  Pharmacopoeia. — 
Achiv  d.  Pharrn.,  cvii.  132-135.  J.  M.  M, 
SULPHUR  IN  CALIFORNIA. 
The  refining  of  sulphur  has  been  commenced  as  a  business 
in  Santa  Barbara  county,  Cal.  Twenty  miles  south-eastward 
of  the  town  of  Santa  Barbara,  and  seven  miles  back  from  the 
Mission  of  San  Buenaventura,  which  is  upon  the  sea  shore,  is  a 
great  bed  of  native  sulphur,  deposited  in  remote  ages  by  the 
vapors  and  waters  of  sulphur  springs.  The  country  in  the  vi- 
cinity bears  strong  marks  of  volcanic  action.  The  sulphur  de- 
posits back  of  San  Buenaventura  have  long  been  known,  but 
only  lately  has  it  been  rendered  valuable.  Messrs.  Davidson, 
Spence  &  Co.  commenced  about  the  first  of  this  year  to  open 
the  mine.  The  Daily  Alta  says,  that  there  were  then  some  half 
a  dozen  men  at  work  in  the  mine,  and  this  sulphur  is  so  abun- 
dant and  accessible,  that  the  time  is  perhaps  not  far  distant 
when  it  will  be  shipped  to  Europe.  The  crude  deposit  is  stated 
to  comprise  8P  per  cent,  of  sulphur. — Scientific  American. 
