the usual method.l-4 The purified polysaccharide $34.5" in N-NaOH) was found to be homogeneous by fractional precipitation followed by hydrolysis and quantitative estimation of the component sugars in each fraction, zone electrophoresis, and acetylation followed by deacetylation. Quantitative estimation showed that D-galactopyranose, D-g~ucopyranose, D-mannopyranose, and D-xylopyranose units were present in the molar ratio 2 : 2 : 7 : 1. The methylated polysaccharide yielded 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methyl-~-glucose, 2,3,4-tri-0-methyl-~-xylose, 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methyl-D-galactose, 2,3,4-tri-0-methyl-~-glucose, 2,3,6-tri-Omet hyl-D-glucose, 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-~-mannose, 2,3-di-0-methyl-D-mannose, and 2,3-di-O-methyl-~-glucose in the approximate molar ratios 1 : 4 : 8 : 1 : 1 : 20 : 8 : 5. Graded hydrolysis indicated that D-xylose was liberated first, followed by D-galactose, D-glucose, and ultimately D-mannose. We now report the results of partial acidic hydrolysis of the polysaccharide.The structures of various oligosaccharides isolated during partial acidic hydrolysis were assigned on the basis of complete acidic hydrolysis followed by chromatographic examination, equivalent weight determination by the alkaline hypoiodite method: enzymic hydrolysis followed by paper chromatographic examination, oxidation by periodate, partial acidic hydrolysis, methylation