from indigenous Plants, 337 



c. Examination of the Stalks of a more advanced growth of the India-corn. 



Twenty pounds of ftalks of this plant, which had grown larger, were cut fmall, and then 

 pounded in a ftone mortar, with the addition of a little water, and their juice preficd out. This 

 • liquor had a confiderably unpleafant, herbaceous, and rather fliarp tafte. When purified 

 with white of eggs, and infpiffated to the confiftencc of a fyrup, it afforded twelve ounces of 

 fyrup remarkable for its difagreeablc fuline tafte, refembling that of a vegetable extraft ra- 

 ther than of a fyrup. 



d. Experiments injlitutcd with the view of preparing dry Sugar from the India-corn. 



In order to find how far it might be pradticable to obtain cryftallizable fugar from this 

 plant, the fyrups made from its young ftalks and ears were rediflbived, each by itfelf, in lime- 

 water newly prepared, and afterwards gently boiled down ; by which management a quan- 

 tity of impurities was feparated. The liquids being ftrained through a woollen cloth, were 

 again feparately evaporated to a thick fyrup, which laft was left ftanding for eight months in 

 aglafs jar, in a moderately warm place; after which I difcovered minute grains of true fugar 

 which had cryftallized, but could not without difficulty be feparated from the large quantity 

 of liquid. In confequence of this, I infpiflatcd each of thefe fyrups in gentle heat, to com- 

 plete drynefs, and digefted the dry mafs again in fix parts of alcohol, with a boiling heat. 

 The fluid, while yet warm, was then haftily poured through a linen cloth, on which the un- 

 diflblved mucilaginous parts were retained ; while, on the other hand, a true fugar of a yellow 

 colour cryftallized in the fpirituous folution, in fmall grains, upon ceoling. After this the 

 alcohol was diftilled off from the remaining fluid ; by which treatment an additional portion 

 of true fugar was obtained from the refidue by gentle evaporation. On the whole, about 

 two ounces of fugar were obtained from the fyrup prepared from the young ftalks, and t^ 

 ounce from that of the young ears. 



It is therefore fufficiently proved, that true fugar can be produced from the young frefh 

 ftalks, as well as from the young ears of the India-corn. But its feparation from the gummy 

 and other parts united with it is fubjedt to fuch great difliculties, and the quantity obtained 

 is fo fmall, that the pound of raw fugar fit for ufc could not be prepared from this material 

 at a lefs price than a dollar (about three fhillings). It is obvious, from thefe fedls, that we 

 are probably never to expert any real advantage, with refpeft to cheapncfs, from this method 

 of obtaining fugar. 



e. Experiments with the Siberian Beards-breech, for preparing Sugar fr m it. 



The Ruffian bear's-breech from Kamtfchatka (fieracleumfphondylium Lin. Heracleumftbi- 

 ricum) has been long known among the facchariferous plants. This plant is faid by Stel- 

 ler* -to be, next to the fugar-cane, one of the moft abundant in fugar. By the Ruffians it 



* Steller'% Reifen,nach Kamtfchatka, psge 84. Alfo in dem Stralfundifchen Migazin, T, Band. jtej. Stuck- 

 $. 41 1'. 



is 



