DECEMBER 20, 1884. SCIENTJFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT, No. 468.

7471

berry tbe wbole of tbe p.:Jtasb exists in combination witb or-!

ganic acid, and tbe whole of the pbosphoric acid as PhOS- 1
pbate of lime. Tbe quantity ofpolaRb present is very con-
siderable, evp,n wben compared w itb tbat contained in tbe
grape. I am informed by strawberry grower� tbat wben tbe
plants forced in pots are grown witb tbe aid of guano or very
ricb soil, it is generally f"und tbat aItbougb many hlosRoms
are pToduced, they do not aIl set, 01' if tbey do tbc fmit is
inferior in size and quality to tbe smalIer quantity produced
by less vigorous plants grown in poorer soil. Tbe stronger
alld more bigbly forced plants are also found to be more lia-
ble to mildew
g
Considerin the benefit often delived by the vine from ap-
plications of potasb manures, it seems a.t least possible tbat a
special manure containing a fair proportion of J lotash would
produce good results with I'trawberries grown in pots and
witb other fruits forced under similar circumstances. Tbe
experiment may have been tried here and tbere, but not, so
far as I can learu, by growers of fruit for tbe market.­ POiSOBOUS metaI!! were entirely absent, and so also were
Ohem. News. free sulphuric, bydrocbloric, nitric, and acetic acids. Tbe
solution was comparatively clear and almost colorless. Ac­
cording to tbe proportions instructed to be used, tbe quan­
TABLE OF THE SOLUBILITY OF CHEMICALS IN tity of pbospboric acid in a smaIl bottle (balf pint) will
WATER.* amount to 0'95 grain , wbicb I found to be tbe case in a
sampIe of lemonade made with tbe above. The flavor and
ABBREVIATIONS : S., soluble; ins., insoluble; sp., spar­ appearance were quite as good as that made witb tbe organic
ingly; V., very; alm., almost; dec., deeomposed. acid.
Seeing tbat pbospboric acid has been largely used and
appears to be bigbly valued for raising bread and pastry,
WATER. and tbat it is recognized as an important medicinal constitu­
CHEMICALB.
ent to the system, tbere is no reason wby tbis article sbould
not be used in tbis higbly diluted form as tbe acid flavoring
--------,----- ------ ----
of lemonade and other mineral waters.-The Analyst.
One part is soluble in: Parts. Parts.
Acid, Oilrie 0 75 0'05
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . • .
, out the formation of a fungoid growtb, and al�o the extreme
difficulty of obtaining them free from lead.
A solution bas recently been offered to tbe trade, called
instrument. By its aid tbe quantity of sulpbureted bydro­
gen absorbedby tbe purifiers may be readily found; and, as
a consequence, managers are enableo to !l�ce)'tain wbetber
pbospbo-citric acid, intended 10 supersede citric and tartaric one coal pro duces more of tbis impurity tb an anotber, Tbey
acids in mineral waters, a sampIe of wbicb I bave lately re­ may aIso ascertain tbe quantit.y of carbonic acid left in tbe
ceived, tbe composition nf wbicb, I bave no doubt, will in­ gas after purification by Iime, and const'quent.ly wbethel'
terest analysts. It contains: tbe lime is doing ;ts work prop€rly.
. . Per cent. Tbis apparatus above described is capable of modification
Free pbospborlC aCid; ...................... ;j4'34 so as to be us�d for tesling tile quant.ity of iIlllminating
Pbospbate of magne�la . 1'86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • . ..
hydrocarbons present in coal gas. For tbis purpose it is
Sulpbate of �agllesla...................... 1'93 arranged as sbown in Fig. 2, in wbicb A is tbe test-tube,
Sulpbate of hme ........ .. .... .... ......... 0'55 furnisbed with two glass taps, B, C, ground so as to fit per­
I':o� and alumina .......................... traces fectly. Tbis is necessary uecause tbe reagent (bromine)
.
aHne aCid.. ... ... ....................... 6'50 usetl in the test acts upon cork, India-rubber. and copper,
Water . . . . . . . . . . . . 54'82
. . . . • - . ' " . . • . .• • . • • • . . . .
aH of wbicb are used in tbc otber apparatus. When a test is
to be made, an IlIdia-rubber tube is fi tted on to tbe lower tap,
100 00 tben botb taps are opened, and the gas lo be tested is passed
into tbe tube, A, as before. As !lOOn as all the atmospberic
air bas been expelled, and the test-tube is full of gas, tbe
two taps sbould be closed (tbe lower one first). Into tbe
tube rising from tbetop of tbe upper tap 0'5 c. C.of bromine,
and afterward sufficient water to make up a total of 5 c. c.,
are run by means of a pipette; tltis volume being indicated
by a line marked upon the tube, as sbown at a. Tbe orifice
of the tube is tben closed wUh tbe finger, tbe tap turned,
and tbe mixture of bromine and water aJlowed to rnn into
tbp, tp,st-tube. When it has an passed down, tlle tap is closed
and the test-tube weil shaken, so as to cause a thorougb ad­
m ixture of its contents. Tbe following reaction then takes
place: Tbe bromine at.tacks tbe i1luminating bydrocarbons
(such as olefiant gas, propylene, aud butylene), wbile it
leaves nntoucbed tbe marsb gas, hydrogen, and carbonic
oxide. After several sbakings tbe test-tube is again placed
upon tbe table, and 5 C. C. of a concentrated solution of pot­
asb are passed into the mixture, in the same way as before.
Tbe tube is once more shaken until tbe yellow-red vapors
. . . . . . . . . . . .

Formic .... ................ ... . v. s. v. S. TESTING THE CARBONIC ACI D AND ILLUMI­
of tbe bromine have complet.el.v disappeared.
.

Gallic 100 3 NATING HYDROCARBONS IN COAL GAS.

The test tube is then again placed upon the table, and into
. . . . . . . •• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . .•

Oxalic .......................... 8 1
tbe neck of the upper tap is inserted a bent pipe ending in a
.

Pyrogallic....................... 3'5 v. S. AT tbe meeting of tbe Societe Tecbniqne in 1 882, M.

pipette tlivided into cubic centimeters (or better still into half
.

Tannic.............. . 6 v. S. Cbevalet intl'Oduced to tbe notice of tbe members tbe Orsat

cubic centimeters). The lower portion being plunged into
, . . . . . . . . . . .

Alurn . . . .. . 105 ins. apparatus for testing tbe presence of carbonic acid and car­
the glass vessel, E, containing colored water, tbe upper ta l '
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ·. . .

Cbrvme .......................... 10 dec. b onic oxide iu coal gas. Tbis appamtus be bas since found
ig opened, and the water is immediately seen to rise in tbe
.

Ammonia, Nitrate. . 0'5 v. s. to possess the very great inconvenience of requiring ex­
pipette. The water levels are then adjusted as in t,he forl11-
. . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . .

Cbloride.. .................. 3 alm. ins. tremely careful manipulation. It is likewise veryfragile; and
er experiment, and the contents of tbe pipette are read off.
.

Carbonate....... .. .......... 4 dee. if tbere sbould be tbe sligbtest escape from one of tbe taps
Supposing it to be 13 e. C. this is noted, ami to it ar!' added
.

Sulpbocyanide .............. v. S. v. s. or j oints, it does not give correct indications. It is, in fact,
the 5 C. c. of bromine and water and the 5 c. c. of potash,
.

Ammonium, Bromide ....... . 1'5 0'7 an instrument wbieh can only be intrusted to bands accus­
previously introduced; making a total number of 23 C. e.
' . . . . . . . . . .

Iodide (wbite) ............. 1 0'5 tomed to performing chemical operations. Tbe apparatus
Then divlding tbis figure by tbe number of cubic centime­
.

Baryta, Nitrate ........................ 8 3 designed by M. Cbevalet, wbicb is sbown in tbe annexed

ters found by gaugingtbe lest tube, tbe quotient multiplied
.

Cadmium, Bromide ............. . ... V. s. v. S. engraving (Fig. 1), is, on tbe contrary, very simple in cbar­
by 100 will give the percentage of tlle gas absorbed by the
, . . .

Iodide ..... . . . . v. S. v. s. acter, and may be employed alike for testing for carbonic
hromine and potasb. Hubtracting f"om tbis number tbe
, . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Copper, Acetate ....................... 15 5 acid and sulpbureted bydrogen. It consists of a test-Inbe,

carbonic acid found in a preliminary test by tbe employment
.

Srilphate ...................... 2'6 0'5 A, mounted upon a stand, and furnisbed at its lower part
of potasb alone upon tbe gas under examinatioJl, tbe quan·
.

Gold, Chloride.. V. s. v. S. with a tap, B. Inside tbe test-tube tbere is a smafl stick of
tity of illuminatiug bydrocarbons absorbed by tbe bromiJle
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • . . . .

Gold and Sodium, Cbloride...... v. s. V. s. cuslic potasb, C, of known volume; and tbe top of the tube
18 ascertained.
• . . . . . .

Iron, Cbloride ......................... v. s. v. s. is bermetically closed by a cork, tbrougb w hicb passes a bent
If a number of successive tests a.re made, and the opera­
.

Pbospbate v. s. v. S. tube, connected witb a graduated tuhe. D, tbe extremity of

tion bas been weil performed witbout loss of gas in manipu­
. . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pyropbospbate .................... v. S. v. s. wbich dips into a glass vessel, E, containing colored water.
Sulpbate....................: 1'8 0'3 lation, tbe results are found to diff�r very little indeed­
scarcely to the extent of 0'002 per cent. Tbe process is
. . . . .

And Ammonia Sulpbate ..... 3 0'8

tberefore higbly sensitive; is correct in Hs indications; and,
' " . .

Iodide ........................... v. S. V. s.
above all, is easily manipulated, inasmucb' as it does not
.

Iodine 7,000
necessitate tbe use of a water 0 1' mercury vessel, or instru­
. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .

Kaolin .................... ........... ins. ins.

ments of pl'ecision for measuring tbe volume of gas under
.

Lead, Acetate......... 1'8 0'5

e%amination. One essential precaution must, however, be
, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chloride........................ ins. 33
taken in all tbe testings, viz., to work by dlffused light, far
.

Nitrate .... ..................... 2 0'8

from all souree of beat, an d as mucb as possible in a labora­
. .

Lime, Bromide 0'7 V. s.

tory facing tbe nortb. Tbis situation js especially recom­
. . . . • . . • . . . . • . . . . , . • . • • .

Chloride ........................ 1-5 V. s.

mended because the laboratory would Iben ue free from tbe
.

Lit.hium, Bromide v. s:. V. S.

rays of tbe sun, which if admitted would canse tbe gas in the
. . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . . . .

Iodide V. s. v. S.
test tube to expand, and thereby vitiate tbe experiment.
. . . . . . . . . . . • • . .. . . . . • • .

Magnesia, Nitrate V. s. v. S.
With purified gas made from tbe coal of tbe Pas!le Calais,
. . . . . . •• • • •• • • . . . . . .

Mereury, Bichloride ................... 16 2

M. Cbevalet obtained tbe following results:
,

Cyanide 12'8 3
. . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . • .

Potassiu:n, Acetate..... ............... 0'4 v. s. .

Illuminating IIJumiuating
Bicarbonate ..... ........... 3'2 dec. . Hydrocarbons. Power.
Bichromate ................ 10 1'5 .
Per cent. Liters. Carcel.
Bromide ................ 1'6 1 " .
5·10 ............. . .. =105:0=1'00
.

Carbonate..................
. . . 0 0 • • •

1 0'7 .
5·45....................... =105'0=1'00
Cyanide .... ...... ..... .... 2 1 5·97 . . . . . =100·2�O'95
. . . . . . . . . . " .• • . . . .

Ferricyanide ............... 3'8 2 . Fm.!. 6·08............... ........= 99'4=0'94

Ferridcyanide ..... 4 . 2 , . . . . . . . . .
6'51....... .................= 95'9=0'91
Ferrocyanide .............. 4 2 , .
5·17 .... ...................=105'2=1'00
Nitrate .... ............. 4 Tbe testing operation is performed as foIlvws: Tbe tap,
0' 4 ' "

Iodide 0'8B, ia connected by means of an India-rubber tube with the

0'5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
. . . • .
M; Chevalet inlends repeating tbese experiments, uRing
Oxalate .................... v. s. v. s.
gas supply; and a stream of & as is allowed to flow into tbe .
gas made from different coals, in order to see wbetber tbere
Permanganate. 20tube until tbe wbole of tbe mr has been displ aced. Tbell
3 . . . . . _ . . . . . . .
is a constant relation between tbe illuminating power and the
Sulphate 9
tbe tap is genlly turned off, and tbe operator awaits the re-
4 . . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . •
quantity of Iigbt-givin� hydrocarbons contained in tbe gas.
Sulpbite ... .... .......... sult. If tbe gas contains carbonic acid, tbe wal!'r in tbe
4 5 .
-Journal of GaB Lighttng.
Sulpburet vessel, E, is at once seen to rise in tbe graduated tube. Tbe
2 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . .

Silver, Nitrate. . . ... . 08 vessel sbould tben be raised sothat tbe water it contains is
. . . 0'1 . . . o . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oxide , v. sp.
., _ v. sp.
at about tbe same level as that in tbe graduat.ed tube. (Tbis
. . . . . . • . . . . .. • . . . . . . .
I
Sodium, Acetate 3ean easily be effected by a pinion by wbicb it is supported.)
1 PREHISTORIC REMAINS.

I
. . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bromide If at tbe expiration of 15 to 20 minutes the water remains

1'2 0'5
A LARGE Indian mound near the town of Gastersville bas
. . . . . . • • . . . . • . . . . . . . .

Bicarbonate dee.
stationary in tbe gl'aduated tube, tbe absorption has been
12
recently been opened and examined by a committee of sei­
. . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Carbonate .................... complete.

1'6 0'25 The water-levels sbould tben be carefully ad-
entists sent out from tbe Smitbsonian Institution. At some
.

Citrate ........................ v. s. v. s.
justed, lind tbe quantity of liquid contained in tbe gradunted
deptb from the surface a kind of vault was found in wbicb
.

Granulated ........... ......... v. s. v. �.

tube read off. Suppo!'ing t.bal. th is tube is so divided tlJat
was discovered tbe skeleton of a giant measuring 7 feet 2
Hyposul pbate ......... ........ eaclI large division represents the l00th part of the entire
1'5 0'5
incbes. His bair was coarse and jet black, and bung to tbe
Hyposulpbite .................. o 12
capacity of tbe test and otbeJ' tubes, eacb division occupied
1
waist, tbe brow being ornamented with a copJ>er crown. Tbe
Iodide O';s
by tbe water will represent tbe quantity of carbonic acid
0'6
'

skeleton is remarkably weil preserved. Near it were also

. . . . • . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nitrate .......... ............. absorbed; and if tbese large divisions are subdivided into
1-3 0' 6
found tbe bodies of several children of various sizes, the re­
.

Pbospbate.................... 6ten eqnal parts, tbe operator is ahle to ascertain the 1000tbs
2 mains being covered witb beads made of stone of some kind.
.

Pyropbospbate . ....... ....... o f carbonic acid contained in tbe volume of gas under ex-
12 1'1
Upon removing tbese tbe bodies were seen to be inclosed in
.

Sulpbite...................... 4periment. I n order that the operation may u e correct, the

0'9
a network of straw 01' l'eeds, and beneatb this was a eovering
.

Sulpbate.. ................... temperatlll'e sbould remain constant duriug tbe experiment.

2'8 0'4
of tbe skin of some anima!. On tbe stones wbieb covered
.

Tungstate 4'0Tbe bands of tbe operator sbould not be placed UPOIJ tbe
2'0
' the vault were carved inscriptions, and tbese, wben deei­
. • • • ' . . . . . . . . . • . . . . .

Stl'ontia, Cbloride ... ..... ....... 1'88 v . s.

test-tuhe; nor sbould tbere be any sOUl'ce of he at near.
pbered, will doubtless lift the veil tbat now shrouds the
, . . .. . .

Uranium, Nitrate ..................... v. s. v. S.

Furtbel', tbe tap and cork mnst botb be absolutely sound;
bistol'�- of a race of giants tbat at one time undoubtedly
.

Cbloride..... ............ . V. s. V. 8.
otberwise air will make its way into the test-tube wbile tbe
inbaillted tbe American continent. Tbe relics bave been
.

Persulpbate ................ V. s. v. s.
water is rising in tbe tube, D.
carefully packed, and forwarded to the Smitbsonian Insti­
.

Zinc, Iodide. V. s. v. S.
Witb tbis apparatus the gas may be t.ested before passing tution, and tbe'y are said to be tbe most interesting colIec­
. . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . . . . . • . . .

Bromide ........ ....... ........ v. R.

into tbe purifiers; and again on ils exit tberefrom. Tbe
Y. S.
tion ever found in the Ullited States. The explorer<,; are
.

Cbloride ......................... 0'33 differenee will sbow tbe volume of sulpbureled bydrogen
now at work on another mound in Bartow County, Pennsyl­
.

I gas ab�orbed by these vessels. When tbis test is being made,

. vania.
it is advisable to bave two apparatUR; and to opera te simul-
------ -------

PHOSPHO-CITRIC ACID.
taneously upon tbe gas botb before and after i t bas IInder-
gone purification. lf tbere sbOU1d be any error, it is tbe
same in eacb case. Tbe following are some resuIts obtai ned
APREPARATION TO SUPERSEDE CITRIC AND TARTARIC ACIDS in gas.works wbel'e tbe purifying matelial'employed was
I To the Editor
A PLAGIARISM.

of the &ientijic American:

IN MINERAL WATERB. oxide of iron only: I take tbe liherty of calling your attention to a plagiarism
By J. NAPIER, F.C.S. lbat appt'ars in SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT of No­
Befol'e the pnrifiers ..2·45 per cent. of absorbable gases. v.emher 22, 1884. Tbe first tbree paragraphs of the article . .

" .... 2·25 "

CrTRIC and tartaric acids bave long teen used for addu- After " "Cbemistry," byWiIliam H. Taggarl, D.D.S., maybe found
.. "

lating or giving to mineral waters tlJeil' acid flavoring, but . in tbe introductlOn to Eliot and Storer's Cbemistrv, abridged
tbese acids bave certain disadvantages inasmucb as tbeil' These tnals showed that oxide of iron absorbs very Uttle
hy W. R. Nichols. 'R. S. R.
solutions cannot be kept fOJ' any great l ngtb of time witb- gas. Tbe same gas tested hy an Orsat apparatus did not �

Dr. Jobn H. Janeway, U. S. A., Nov. 11, 1'884.

sbow more tban 2 per cent. of carbonic acid. M. Cbevalet's
* Fnrnished to the Societs of Amatenr Photographe/.'S of New York by. app
[Tbe article above alluded to was an abstract from lln
aratus is tbel' efore more seusitive tban tbe otber; ami . original" paper read by Dr. Ta!!gnrt befOl'e tbe IIlinois
tbis sensitiveness is .accounted f<li' by tbe con struction of tbe State Dental Society, 1884. ED s. S. A.] '
, ' '

© 1884 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, INC.