522 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



ter-scutch," a refuse of skin and hair from tanneries, is a 

 cheap manure, containing in the fresh state 3.58 to 7.60 per 

 cent, of potential ammonia. 



Refuse hops from breweries contain, when fresh, 1.91, and 

 when dry 4.20 per cent, of potential ammonia. They are 

 best added to compost heaps. The deposits from fermenting 

 liquors are always highly nitrogenous. Sugar-boilers' scum 

 contains both nitrogen and phosphates ; the scum from beet- 

 root sirups appears the most nitrogenous, containing when 

 dry 4.6 per cent, of potential ammonia. The liquors obtain- 

 ed by " retting " flax and hemp are nitrogenous, the solid 

 contents yielding 2.7 to 4 per cent, of potential ammonia. 

 21 A, December, 1873, 1256. 



PRODUCTION OF STAECH, PAPER, AND SOAP FEOM COEN. 



All the ingredients of corn, according to Leconte, may be 

 utilized. The grain is, in the first place, to be saturated with 

 a solution of caustic soda in large cisterns, and transferred to 

 cylindrical sieves ; then dipped in water, and ground in con- 

 nection with a continuous stream of pure or somewhat caus- 

 tic water. The quantity of socla, depending on its quality, 

 the oily contents of the grain, and the temperature, should 

 be such as to saponify the oil of the grain while allowing the 

 starch to appear solid and firm. The liquid, as it leaves the 

 mill, passes over sieves, on w r hich the germs, hulls, etc., are 

 retained, while the starch and soap pass through, and flow 

 over large inclined surfaces, upon which the starch settles, 

 and the dilute soap solution collects in cisterns. The starch 

 is then washed w T ith pure water in cisterns, again passed 

 through sieves into cisterns, allowed to settle twenty-four 

 hours, and, after drawing off the supernatant liquid, removed 

 and dried. Excellent soap may be obtained from the dilute 

 solution, and the germs, etc., can be utilized in paper manu- 

 facture. 8 C, August 28, 1873, 287. 



SULPHATE OF AMMONIA FEOM NITEOGENOUS OEGANIC REFUSE. 



All the nitrogen in the refuse of w T ool, hides, horn, leather, 

 etc., according to L'Hote, is convertible into sulphate of am- 

 monia by first treating it with a solution of commercial caus- 

 tic soda in nine to ten parts, by weight, of water, in the cold, 

 or at a gentle heat, thus partially dissolving, or at least com- 



