first with phosphotungstic acid, when a heavy precipitate was thrown down in very singular forms, and most resembling ants' eggs. This body was insoluble in water and in strong NaOH. When no further precipitate was obtained with phosphotungstic acid, a little concentrated hydrochloric acid was added to the filtrate from which the phos. photungstic had been separated, and a second, but smaller precipitate was obtained which behaved like a true albuminoid. Those bodies have not yet been further examined. 4. Bodies soluble in cuprammonium.-After the treatment with NaOH a still considerable part of the original precipitate was remaining. Upon removing the alkali the material was saturated with a solution of cuprammonium for a period of 10 days, being frequently shaken and agitated during the whole time. The solution was filtered through glass wool, and concentrated HCl added, when a voluminous precipitate was given. Upon adding the HCl until the solution was slightly acid a large part of the precipitate became redissolved. The undissolved part of the precipitate thrown down with the HCl was separated by filtering and behaved completely as true cellulose. The other part resembling the true cellulose in so far that it was insoluble in the solvents used previous to cuprammonium, was distinguished from cellulose by its ready solubility in a slight excess of HCl. The filtrate in which the latter body was precipitated out of the solution with strong alcohol and also with NaOH and partly with phosphotungstic acid, indicating that it could be a mixture of mucilaginous and carbohydrate bodies or matters. The last portion of the original precipitate which resisted the action of the solvents preceding the use of cuprammonium exhibited a similar mixture or combination of mucilaginous and carbohydrate bodies found in the portions soluble in water and H2SO4, and appearing to differ mainly in the degree of solubility. By the cuprammonium was discovered and obtained a preparation of true cellulose, which appears to have been in combination with the other body which was separated from the cellulose as already described. It is possible that the latter body may be a carbohydrate which is soluble in an excess of acid which would not affect the cellulose. However, the combination of the cellulose with a gum or mucilage body is strongly indicated. In recapitulating the results of this preliminary study of the amorphous matters contained in the sorghum molasses, and which prevent the separation of the crystallizable bodies, it has been found that those amorphous matters are composed of nitrogenous mucilaginous and carbohy drate bodies. It has further been observed that each class of those bodies is represented by several modifications which are distinguished mainly by their differing degrees of solubilities: that is, that there are mucilaginous and carbohydrate bodies which are distinguished from each other by the instance that certain are soluble in water, others in dilute acids, dilute alkalis, and cuprammonium respectively, which confirms the physiological supposition upon which the preliminary study of those amorphous matters was based and commenced, viz, that the whole of such were not probably to be found soluble in water. Not only have mucilages and carbohydrates been observed during the course of these studies in the sorghum molasses; certain nitrogenous bodies have been found. A general view of the organic series of bodies (other than sugars) in the molasses may be gained by means of consecutive fractional precipitations with the following reagents: By addition of Pb acetate to an aqueous solution of the molasses, the chief part of the mucilaginous and certain carbohydrate matters with organic acids, etc., are thrown out. Upon removing the excess of lead from the filtrate other amorphous carbohydrates are removable with strong alcohol. And, finally, after removing by evaporation the alcohol from the filtrate and taking up the residue in water and purifying with bone black, by adding phosphotungstic acid an alkaloidal principle may be found. Such a body has been obtained by a different method and in a crystallized form as a double salt of chloride of platinum, of which a specific study has not yet been made. The investigations will be continued in order to identify definitely certain of the mucilaginous and carbohydrate bodies of which only preliminary observations have been obtained. By such means it may be possible to further unfold the relations of those bodies represented and accompanying each other in the several modifications and degrees of solubility which have been observed, and also to work out a path to the better understanding of such as the pectinous bodies which have been thought to be mucilaginous and carbohydrate compounds. The principle upon which the investigations have been conducted has so far been physiological chemical, and especially having in view the nature of the total and respective bodies found in the molasses as indicated by their order of solubilities. Having established methods by which the total original precipitate can be separated into several classes of bodies, each class of bodies and body is to be studied separately, in order to ascertain their chemical nature as indicated by the decomposition products and other chemical behavior. CHEMICAL CONTROL OF SORGHUM SUGAR FACTORIES. The Department made no direct experiments during the season of 1890 in the manufacture of sorghum sugar. The work done was confined solely to chemical supervision of the processes of manufacture. To secure as wide an experience as possible in this direction, chemists were detailed from the Department for the factories at Fort Scott, Topeka, Conway Springs, Attica, and Medicine Lodge, Kansas. A sum mary of the chemical work done, together with such data as were accessible, will be found following: OPERATIONS AT ATTICA, KANSAS. The chemical work at Attica was in charge of Mr. J. L. Fuelling, assisted by Mr. J. R. Cooper. Work at this station was started on the 19th of September and con tinued, at intervals, until October 25. On this latter date one of the lower doors of the diffusion battery cell was broken and it was not thought worth while to repair the battery for the remaining portion of the crop. A very small quantity of cane remained unworked. The many difficulties encountered in the working of this house would render it unjust to make the results a test of the possibilities of manufacture of sorghum sugar. The cane crop was much shortened by a severe drought, which set in about a month after the planting and continued unbroken for 60 days. The yield of cane per acre was reduced from 12 to 15 tons of last year to 5 and even 3 tons per acre. Chinch-bugs were also quite numerous and did considerable damage. Hot winds, the most dreaded enemy of the farmer in that region, were prevalent during the continuation of the drought. Not only was the crop shortened by the continued dry weather, but also the supply of water for the factory was inadequate, the small stream upon which dependence was placed having been completely dried up. Under these conditions the factory was not operated contin uously, but only during the day, The necessity of better cultivation of the cane fields was fully mani fested in a number of instances. The fields which received poor culti vation were almost devoid of crops, while those which received the best cultivation yielded a fair crop in spite of the hot and dry weather. It was not until October 12 that there were sufficient rains to insure an ample supply of water, but at that time it was not possible to get enough cane to operate the factory, The seed which had been received from the Department of Agriculture produced, in all cases, the best cane grown in the locality, averaging 4 and 5 tons per acre above all other varieties. The loss of a large quantity of sugar in the battery was owing to the heaters which leaked very badly. Another serious loss occurred between the clarifiers and double effects. This was due to the inability of the double effects to evaporate the juice extracted so that some of the thin juice was left sometimes as long as 12 hours before being concentrated, and, of course, fermentation took place. Special attention was given to studying the characteristics of the cane, showing that certain physical properties are associated with high percentages of sugar. By studying these properties carefully, it is possible for every farmer to go into his field and be able to determine certainly whether his cane is ripe or not. The most striking of those prop erties is found in the last joint of the cane bearing the seed head. By stripping the cane of its covering a yellow coloration will be observed extending more or less along the length of the joint as the cane nears maturity. By the extent of this coloration one is able to select the very best or the very poorest canes in the field almost as accurately as though tested by a polariscope. It is found that the cane which has the highest sucrose, lowest glucose, and highest purity has this coloration extending one-half the length of the joint. Should it be found to extend the full length, it shows that the cane has already commenced to deteriorate. On the other hand, should no coloration be visible, it shows that the cane is not yet mature. These observations have extended over one season of rather remarkable characteristics, and hence they may not prove equally applicable to a crop grown in a season with the ordinary amount of rainfall. The analyses of the sorghum at Attica were commenced on the 9th of September and continued until the 24th of October. During this period 115 average samples, as taken from the field, were analyzed with the following mean results: Between the dates of October 6 and 9 the purities of the juices were remarkably high, averaging about 85, and the percentages of sucrose therein were almost 16, showing that at that season the cane was in the best condition for manufacture. The analyses, however, for the whole season show a cane well suited for the manufacture of sugar, and which should yield, if all the sugar could be obtained, except the quantity which would naturally stay in the molasses, quite 200 pounds to the ton of clean cane. Many of the farmers found the growing of cane profitable, while in other cases quite a number failed to make any profit or cultivated the cane at a loss. The figures representing one farmer's account with the company will illustrate what may be secured in a poor season in the growing of sorghum cane. Total weight of cane grown. - pounds.. 357, 735 .do.... 74,915 $35. 18 $392.92 Against this sum the following expenses are to be charged: Leaving a net profit of $130.42. The number of acres cultivated in this crop was 30, and on the number given above the profit per acre would be $4.35. It will be noticed in the above that no charge has been made for the rent of the land, which is, of course, a legitimate expense which must come out of the calculated profit per acre. The rental of the land upon which this cane was grown is not known to me, but, judging from the average value of land in that locality, it may safely be put at $2 to $2.50; hence a deduction of $2 per acre should be made for rent of land, leaving a profit per acre of only $2.35 instead of $4.35. The analyses of the samples of chips taken from the shredders as they pass to enter the battery, which samples give a fair estimate of the quality of the chips entering the diffusers, show, as is usual in all cases, a less saccharine strength than average samples of field cane. The reason of this difference is twofold. In the first place the samples of the first chips must of necessity give a better representation of the crop than any possible selection of single stalks or number of stalks of cane can give. In the second place, in spite of the best clarifying apparatus, particles of the blades and sheaths enter the shredder with the pieces of cane, and the juices of these are expressed afterward and mingle with the juices of the cane. Forty samples of these chips were analyzed during the season with the following mean reults: Sucrose.. In the juice. per cent.. 12.56 Purity. 63.20 Thirty-two samples of the diffusion juices, representing the mean composition of the juices during the season, were subjected to analysis with the following mean results: Sucrose - per cent.. 7.99 Purity.. 66.48 Thirty-two samples of the exhausted chips, representing the mean composition of the whole mass of exhausted chips during the season, were analyzed, the analyses showing that they contained 0.60 per cent. of sucrose. Twenty analyses of the filtered and clarified juices, representing the mean composition of the clarified juices of the whole season, showed the following average constitution: Sucrose Purity... .per cent.. 8.11 1.01 67.46 |