BITARTRATE  OF  POTASH,  AC,  FROM  CATAWBA  WINE.  75 
four  hours,  fresh  alcohol  was  added  in  small  quantities  at  a  time, 
until  twenty  ounces  had  passed  through  each,  when  the  material 
was  found  to  be  exhausted. 
The  tinctures  were  evaporated  to  the  consistence  of  syrup,  and 
precipitation  effected  with  water  alone,  according  to  the  United 
States  Pharmacopoeia,  when  the  precipitates  were  carefully  col- 
lected and  dried.  From  the  rhizoma  the  yield  was  one  hundred 
and  thirty-seven  grains,  and  from  the  radical  fibres  one  hundred 
and  thirty-seven  and  a  half  grains, — showing  that  there  is  no 
reason  for  regarding  samples  of  root  containing  a  large  amount 
of  fibres  as  in  any  way  inferior,  provided  they  have  been  care- 
fully cleaned. — Proc.  Am.  Pharm.  Association,  1867. 
BITARTRATE  OF  POTASH,  TARTRATE  OF  POTASH  AND 
SODA,  AND  TARTARIC  ACID,  FROM  CATAWBA  WINE. 
By  E.  S.  Wayne. 
These  specimens  are  prepared  from  the  crude  tartar  deposited 
by  Catawba  wine  (a  specimen  of  which  is  herewith  sent).  It  is  a 
well  known  fact  that  Catawba  wine  deposits  as  much  tartar  as 
European  wines,  and  from  the  large  quantity  now  produced 
annually,  a  large  portion  of  the  cream  of  tartar  consumed  in  the 
United  States  might  be  produced,  if  the  wine-growers  would  take 
the  trouble  to  collect  it.  A  large  portion  of  it  they  throw  away 
in  the  washing  or  cleaning  of  the  wine  casks,  and  others  refuse 
to  remove  it,  under  the  impression  that  it  is  beneficial  to  the 
wine  to  let  the  accumulation  remain. "  I  have  been  endeavoring 
for  some  time  past  to  encourage  the  saving  of  it,  and  have  made 
the  specimens  sent  for  the  purpose  of  showing  to  the  wine-grow- 
ers here  what  can  be  done  with  it,  and  to  interest  them  in  saving 
all  that  they  may  make ;  and  hope  at  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Association  to  report  a  favorable  progress. 
The  cream  of  tartar  specimen  is  crystalline,  not  powdered.  It 
was  made  after  the  following  manner  :  The  crude  tartar  was 
placed  in  a  vessel,  and  water  added,  less  than  sufficient  to  dis- 
solve it.  It  was  then  heated,  and  carbonate  of  soda  added  until 
the  acid  was  neutralized,  and  the  double  tartrate  of  potash  and 
soda  formed ;  the  solution  then  filtered,  and  the  coloring  matter 
removed  by  percolation  through  animal  charcoal. 
