Failing in this way to separate the acids in the form of their esters, the mixture of esters and alcohol was examined qualitatively; 75 c.c. was taken and saponified with 80 c.c. N/1 NaOH in a distilling flask, with inverted condenser, for half an hour, until all the fragrant smell of the esters had disappeared. 71 c.c. N/1 HCl was then added, and the apparatus connected with a condenser in the usual way. The distillate was acid. 800 c.c. was taken off, forming fraction 1. The remainder of the acid required to neutralise the sodium hydrate was added, and another 800 c.c. distilled off, forming fraction 2. Fraction 1 smelt strongly of butyric acid, fraction 2 of acetic acid. The fractions were then each boiled for half an hour with excess of barium carbonate; this was filtered off and washed, the filtrate evaporated to dryness, and dried at 130°. A portion of barium salt of fraction 1 was heated with alcohol and sulphuric acid and gave the characteristic pineapple smell of ethyl butyrate. The solution of the barium salts of fraction 2 was concentrated by evaporation, and to a portion excess of H_{2}SO_{4} was added, the BaSO_{4} filtered off, and the filtrate carefully neutralised with ammonia and a portion added to a solution of neutral ferric chloride. It was coloured dark red, and a finely-divided precipitate of basic acetate of iron came down on boiling. A second portion of the concentrated solution was heated with sulphuric acid and gave off a strong smell of _acetic acid_. To a third portion silver nitrate was added, and a slight excess of acetic acid; a little silver was deposited in the form of a film, showing a trace of _formic acid_.